Below are the 4 most recent journal entries recorded in hilrunner's LiveJournal:

Wednesday, October 11th, 2006
5:53 pm	Training runs Yes, I have been running. A few observations from my most recent training runs: This past Saturday I was scheduled to run 20 miles in preparation for the Dublin Marathon on Oct 30th. I met a fellow Team in Training Coach @ 5:30 AM to get a 10-miler in before the Team training session began at 7:00 AM. Running with Scott always pushes me as he is generally much faster and also much younger (by about 20 years). We completed our 10 miles and I then joined the rest of the Team. The next 10 miles (which turned into only 8 miles) I ran with another TNT coach (also a fast runner). At some point during our return trip I said something about not being sure if running with Scott was good for me or not, as it always makes the 2nd half of my run challenging. Terry said; "You're just allowing your mind to tell you that - you don't have to believe it". I thought about what he had said. He was right. I was telling myself a story about how I thought things were and choosing to believe it. So...I told myself a different story. I told myself that I could hold the pace and finish the run. And I believed it. Once I did that I finished ahead of the entire group. Which makes me think - what stories do we tell ourselves that aren't actually true? What would happen if we told ourselves a different story? This morning's run? I got up @ 4:30 AM to meet a friend to run. It had been raining throughout the night - at times heavily. However, when I looked out the window it appeared to be only a light rain with a temperature of 55 degrees, so I decided to go ahead. Once I arrived at her house, although the lights were on, it soon became obvious she was not coming out. I had two choices - go home and get back in bed. (Unlikely that I would go back to sleep.) Or, I could go ahead and run by myself - in the dark and the rain. You know which one I chose. It turned out to be a wonderful run - light rain, mist, then heavier rain... and wind... and falling temperatures. Even though the conditions deteriorated, I enjoyed the solitude of the run. I didn't see anyone on the trail - very unusual to see no one at all. There is something about running in the rain that is so cleansing. I've always loved the sound of rain especially at night. To be able to run in the rain, hear the rain against the tree leaves and feel the rain is truly a joy. Little kids love that experience. Why do we outgrow that? Why exactly do we stop jumping in the puddles? By the way... I hit many puddles and came back with my shoes soaked! :) Next time you see a puddle - jump in it and think of me! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 4th, 2006
5:43 pm	The business side of things This week I read the following posted by Sheryl Crow for October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I found what she had to say to be quite profound: "I am keenly aware of how precious and fleeting life is, and I hope I will never forget what the experience has taught me...who I am, who I want to be, who I can never be again. It was a hard time but I'd rather have the really hard stuff than to never know what I know now." For me as a Life Coach I see the wisdom in that perspective. Other progress: I contacted Tony Dungy's office to hopefully set an in-person meeting with him (most likely after the football season). I was transferred to an administrative assistant and then her voice mail. I left a brief message not knowing what the result might be. I am guessing the Indianapolis Colt's office gets a large volume of incoming calls. I left the message yesterday afternoon and received a call back this morning from the assistant. She wanted additional information and will talk with Tony regarding a meeting. Yeah! I gave her the background information (I had followed Tony Dungy's keynote speech at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes spring meeting @ Illinois State University in May of 2002, our conversation afterward about a possible testimonial on the book jacket of my book, and his favorable comments on my speech relating the story of our youngest daughter's suicide attempt). His exact words about my speech are still fresh in my mind. He looked at me with intensity and said; "You just blew me out of the water." I could tell he was sincere. He told me to contact him. I inquired how and he replied; "Call the Colt's office". Oh. That simple. Did I ever call? No. Why? All kinds of excuses - what if he doesn't think the book is good enough to give an endorsement on the book jacket? Or, it's recruiting season. Or, it's pre-season. Or, it's regular season. Or, it's the playoffs. Or, he is taking a much-needed break post-season. (I repeated these scenarios over three years.) Until last year that is. Last December 22nd it became more apparent that our lives would have something in common. The difference? Our child survived a suicide attempt and his did not. Tony's son James committed suicide on Dec. 22, 2005. I'm not sure what our work together might look like. I'm not sure what our conversation might be about. This much I am clear about - suicide awareness and prevention programs are not working as well as they could be in our communities. Young people are still being lost to suicide. Some don't show the classic signs. Our daughter didn't. I feel I am meant to do help create something different in this area. Suicide is not talked about openly. It remains undercover. I spoke to an audience of about 700 people at that FCA conference. I received many notes, letters and e-mails from people in our community saying they had personal experience with a suicide victim or survivor in their own family. Two years after my speech I continued to have people come up to me and mention they had heard my speech and were touched by it. My goal is to bring open dialog about suicide out into the open. That will be a start. Perhaps if we move the conversations out of the "closely held secret" perspective, things will change. (Comment on this)
5:27 pm	Progress So an alternate form of Ironman training has been discovered. Typically I run with a group on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Last night I had an additional companion on the run - our 17-month old granddaughter Madison. No problem I thought to myself, I'll just take her in the running stroller. This particular jogging stroller isn't one of the more expensive models. Therefore, along with the reduction in price comes an increase in weight. Madison now weighs about 23 lbs. herself. How tough can it be to just smoothly roll along? Very tough I found out. Not using your arms at all while running means all the work is done by your legs. With the temperature an unusual (for October in Illinois) 90 degrees, high humidity and a few rolling hills tossed in for good measure, I had a challenging little workout. The good news? Madison had a great time. Leaves are beginning to fall, so occasionally one would land on her. That was quite funny. Going downhill prompted a "Whee!". By the time the run was over this little Grandma was tired, but Madison would have happily gone again. *Note: Madison was dressed in a navy blue Nike shorts outfit, ate spaghetti the night before (for carbo loading) and also had a little pink Nike water bottle on board for proper hydration. We did a nice cool down walk afterward. It's never too early to train a future runner. :) (Comment on this)
Monday, October 2nd, 2006
1:12 pm	First entry Today seems like an excellent day to begin. This Live Journal will chronicle several journeys over the next 11 months. First it will serve as a place to capture reflections, thoughts and insights during my training for Ironman Wisconsin 2007. It will also serve as a place to record my progress on several "Bigger Games" I will be playing over the next year. (Please visit www.TheBiggerGame.com for more information.) My games include the following: Publishing my first book (already written) entitled "See You at the Finish Line - Gifts and Lessons Along the Road to Boston". Writing of my second book (in process) entitled "First You Have to Get Out of the Water - Gifts and Lessons Along the Road to Ironman". (Tentative title) Writing of my third book (in process entitled "Embracing Life and Death - Gifts and Lessons from Mary Along the Road to Dying". (Tentative title) *Creation of a Resource Forum/Center to aid terminally ill patients and their families will eventually accompany this. Also on my mind today - the following three quotes: "Find out what makes you come alive and do it." ~Harold Thuman Whitman "I am keenly aware of how precious and fleeting life is, and I hope I will never forget what the experience has taught me... who I am, who I want to be, who I can never be again. It was a hard time but I'd rather have the really hard stuff than to never know what I know now." ~Sheryl Crow - written 9/28/06 for October Breast Cancer Awareness Month "Look, I've never had a dream in my life because a dream is what you want to do, but still haven't pursued. I knew what I wanted and did it 'till it was done, so I've been the dream that I wanted to be since day one." ~Taken from Aesop Rock in the song "No Regrets" (2 Comments |Comment on this)