The Laufen Mountain's Journey

So last week turned out to be a bit of a rest week for me.  I ran 10k on Monday, and it was a struggle.  I tried writing about it a couple of time, but the Blogger app is really good at not saving.  So that was a struggle too.  All in all, I felt drained last week.  I was letting some professional anxiety get the better of me, and it wasn’t fun.  I have been going at this full bore as well, and the reading I’ve been doing talks about rest weeks, with less miles.  I’m calling it, last week was a rest week. What a week it was though!  My wife and I celebrated 13 years of marriage, and are more excited about the future now more than ever.  We’re both eating better, exercising more, and just have a more positive outlook on life.  While I was resting up, we were setting goals for ourselves.  We registered for our first 5k that we’re doing together, and it has the coolest medal ever!  As part of my anniversary present Tiffany had me register for the Sea Wheeze Virtual Half Marathon.  In

Thursday I had an amazing run! With my 5k race complete, it was now time to focus on Detroit. Which is 106 days away! I wanted to get in a 10k run.  I needed to start focusing on long runs, get my legs and cardiovascular system used to going for hours.  I really had to push to finish my 5k.  So I was a little worried about how long it would take to be Detroit ready. I set out on my run to see if I could make the full 10k.  I didn't want to run fast, I wanted to run long.  So I found a comfortable pace (between 6 & 6:30 minutes per kilometer) and tried to stick to that.  I still had to talk myself through the kilometers though.  Get to three John and then you can walk.  Ok, there's three.  Now get to five, then seven, alright final push to ten! While I was running I was thinking about my goals.  Running goals, personal goals, professional goals.  Nothing was off the table.  My route around town was about 10k,  and I couldn't wait to be able to run two of those laps! 

I did it! First real 5k race is in the books!  It feels amazing to have set a goal, when I was first getting started, and achieving that goal.  It feels even more amazing and exciting that the journey is FAR from over.  I wanted to run 5k in half an hour, and I was going into this race comfortably doing under half an hour.  Yet, I was still nervous.  It was similar to the feeling I get prior to an exam.  You've done all the prep, now let's see what you can do when it counts ! My nerves were getting the better of me, what if I couldn't?  A couple of days ago I REALLY struggled. I'm lucky enough to have learned many life lessons over the years, and I'm smart enough (occasionally) to string it all together.  This was one of those times.  Sunday was a day devoted to the family and just going with the flow.  I went into race day the way I like to go into exams, relaxed.  Two days before I was stressing over things I couldn't control.  A little bit of time, and re

This morning didn't go as planned, at all.  This morning Christopher and I set out to complete 2k.  His school shoes were knotted up, and he was just PULLING on them to get them apart.  "Christopher, you're only making it worse.  Pulling on them with all your might is making the knot tighter. Slow down and just work on the knot". He managed to get it, but the laces were pretty hooped.  We fished out some better shoes, but they weren't any better as it turns out.  We got about half way around the track before he had to stop, he thought he was getting a blister.  We finished our lap, and sure enough he had a decent little blister.  Well that was the end of that, off with the devil shoes and off with the socks.  I gave Christopher a piggyback through the terrible parking lot, and then we began our trek home.  With the walk there and the one lap we did about 2k, so we still accomplished that! I, however, have been in my head a bit over the last few days, so I was r

Alright folks, my body MAY be sending me some subtle hints that I need to slow down.  I woke up a little stiff, a little sore and  VERY tired.  I was trying to shake away the desire to crawl back in bed, but the struggle was real this morning.  Typically I start my day watching something mindless, this allows me acclimate to the waking world.  This morning my body wasn’t having it though, it was doing just fine staying sleepy!  Luckily, my good friend pointed me to The Joe Rogan Experience #1208 with Jordan Peterson.  I love Joe Rogan, so I’m willing to give anyone he has on a chance.  So, I’ve been watching it off and on in my spare time.  This morning I was right around the 2 hour mark, and it was exactly what I needed to start my day. Their conversation was thought provoking, powerful and inspiring.  It gave me the strength and stamina I needed to put some net positive out into the world.  I had made one of my most important commitments to date, and it was time to make good on i

What an amazing day!   I had the pleasure of not only running a 5k for myself, but doing another 5k with a good friend.  Which opens up a whole different dimension of running! Let's back pedal for a moment.  I had an incredible weekend.  Filled with lots of love, and some great family time.  Tiff found out about a triathlon for kids aged 3-13, so we talked to Christopher about it. There's three triathlons throughout the summer, if a child completes all three they get a Fitbit. Neat!  What a great prize to help these little athletes keep going!  Well, Christopher thought it was pretty cool too!  So the cherry on top of my weekend, is that now Christopher wants to train for a triathlon!  So watch out world, come 2020 we're looking to crush it! Let's talk about today's runs, shall we?  One of my very good friends, Sam, wants to get into running as well, so I challenged him to do his first 5k this week.  There's a NYRR virtual 5k for Pride, what better rea

I have a confession to make.  As much as I really enjoy biking... I may be addicted to running. Seriously, I jones for it now.  Yesterday I had a great bike ride, but I was still craving a run.  I was anxious, irritable and just felt like I was missing something.  It wasn't until I decided that I'd get a run in before work today, that I felt some relief.  I was excited to go another 5k without stopping.  Now that I CAN do it, I WANT to do it!   I really am just enjoying the crap out of running.  I'm excited for the progress that I've made, and I'm pumped for the progress to come! Thank you again to everyone that has been following along.  So far I've gone 35 of the 50 miles to the moon, if you haven't started the challenge there's still 28 days left! Today is a great day! *obligatory post run selfie

I have had an AMAZING week!  I've achieved the things I wanted to achieve by this point (exceeded really) as far as running goes.  I'm really getting into biking as well!  And enjoying the crap out of it!  Yesterday I decided that today would be a good day to ride to Howard.  It seemed reasonably far enough to be a decent work out. When I woke up this morning though, I wanted nothing more than to just go back to bed.  I willed myself up, telling myself that I'll just go back to bed if I can't shake it.  It would have been easy to go back to bed, but then that sets the tone for the day.  Likely running late, stressed, anxious and just groggy and miserable.  Luckily, I have a great group of friends who have been super encouraging.  If it wasn't for you guys I wouldn't have gone out for an amazing ride today, and learned/was reminded a valuable life lesson . So let's talk about the ride.  This is only my third time taking the new bike out for a ride, and rea

With the goal of doing the International Detroit Half Marathon in 123 days.... No time at all really :/.  My dentist, who's done the marathon, was FULL of excitement to share her experiences.  She told me that I had to have my oldest cheer me on from the Canadian side.  She explained what a welcome rush it is as you're running, but how great it is for him to see me setting a goal and achieving it.  Wow!  That's an angle I hadn't considered.  What a rush it would be to see my own little cheerleading team!  I've had Christopher out for runs with me, and he's been amazing.  So I'm going to do this for Christopher.  It's out there, no going back now. On a side note: Strava is an app that I've recently discovered.  It's really helped me with setting different running goals.  One of those goals was to run a 10k, and if I did that I'd get a digital trophy.  As someone that used play video games all the time.... Gimme that digital trinket!!

Where the hell do I start!?  I guess we'll start almost one year ago today, it was then that I had a realization.  If I stayed on my current path, where a poutine on the daily wasn't unusual,  I had a very real possibility of not being there to walk my daughter down the aisle.  This for whatever reason REALLY struck a chord, and it was something that was absolutely within my control, but where the hell do I start!?  I don't know when it changed, but one of the most critical things that had to change was my justification for treating my body like a dumpster.   Why live long, when I can live happy?   I found immense joy in consuming all things terrible.  Fast food? Yes please.  Want to upsize this, poutine that, extra patty there?  You know I do!  Alcohol?  Give me whiskey!!!!!  I did enjoy running, but that wasn't sustainable with my current life style.  The quick jogs between my truck and a building when it was raining felt... natural.  Just not natural enough to s