From Where I Sit

Half Marathon 2008 Testimonials

In late December of 2007, I issued the 2008 Half Marathon Challenge. An amazing 135 of our employees participated in the event and participated. It was my second half marathon, and I enjoyed it even more than last year.

Last week, Lindsey Nobles, my Director of Corporate Communications,invited everyone who finished to write about their experience. Like last year, we were overwhelmed. It seemed that the majority of runners wanted to share their experience. As a result, I have included them below in full. (They are listed alphabetically by last name.) I found them truly inspiring.

Finishing My Second Half Marathon

One week ago today, I was running the Country Music Half Marathon. It was an incredible experience. I enjoyed this year’s race even more than last year’s—which is saying a lot.

Amazingly, some 32,000 people participated in either the race. According to various media reports, another 32,000 or so spectators attended. Regardless, it was a sea of people. Unless you run these types of races, you can’t imagine the energy.

A Quarter of Thomas Nelson’s Employees Running the Half Marathon

On January 4th, I set a goal of enrolling 158 of our employees in one of two half marathon races this spring. This represents roughly 25% of our workforce.

I knew this was a big goal and, frankly, it was a little daunting. However, I am happy to report that we now have 160 employees registered. In addition, we have 32 spouses, and 14 authors or agents registered for a total of 206 people. Wow.

How to Avoid Running Injuries

Three weeks ago, I got out of bed and noticed that my right heel was really sore. That’s strange, I thought. I wonder if I stepped on a stone. Over the next few days, I kept running and noticed that it was getting progressively worse. Then it dawned on me. Could this be the dreaded Plantar Fasciitis?

I immediately looked it up on Wikipedia. It said,

Plantar fasciitis, formerly known as “policeman’s heel,” is a painful inflammatory condition caused by excessive wear to the plantar fascia of the foot or biomechanical faults that cause abnormal pronation of the foot. The pain usually is felt on the underside of the heel, and is often most intense with the first steps of the day.

Those were my exact symptoms.

Seven Reasons to Run the Half Marathon

A little over a month ago, I issued the The 2008 Half Marathon Challenge. I invited our employees, spouses, authors and agents to run either the The Big-D Texas Marathon & Half Marathon in Dallas on April 6 or The Country Music Marathon & Half Marathon in Nashville on April 26. So far, we have 102 employees signed up. My goal is 158.

In various meetings last week, several people told me they were “on the fence.” This post is a shameless attempt to get you off the fence and sign-up! Here are seven reasons why you need to do so:

The Half Marathon Sign-up Contest

Sometimes people just need a nudge from a friend to get with the program. This is particularly true with exercise.

Last week, Suzanne Thompson, our Nashville-based half marathon team leader, sent out an email to some employees. Lisa Stilwell, our Senior Editor for Gift Books, was one of the recipients. Yesterday, Suzanne received this response from Lisa:

Resources for Beginning Runners (and Walkers)

We are making great progress on our Half Marathon registrations. As of the close of business yesterday, we had 60 people signed up. My goal is 158, so we are 38% of the way there. (Note that I am keeping a running total of the signups in my right sidebar.)

Today, I wanted to share a few running resources I have found helpful. First, I have created a simple Excel spreadsheet to help you plan out your training regimen. This is a 13-week program; however, there is nothing sacred about this time-frame. I have seen at least one 10-week program.

So You Want to Run a Half Marathon?

Admittedly, I am a novice runner. I’ve been running just a little over a year. So what could I possibly have to say about training for a half marathon? A couple of things.

For starters, my lack of experience is precisely what qualifies me to speak on the topic. When I got started, most of the advice I received was from veteran runners. They knew a lot about running—as a veteran runner. But apparently they had forgotten what it was like to be a beginner. I still remember.

The 2008 Half Marathon Challenge

Last year, I ran the Country Music Half Marathon. About 65 of my Thomas Nelson colleagues ran with me. It was my first half marathon, and it was an awesome experience. I think that most of my colleagues would agree.

Well, I want to do it again this year. Between our Nashville office and our Dallas office, I want to see 158 people run or walk the race. That would represent 25% of our workforce of 630. The Country Music Marathon & Half Marathon is scheduled in Nashville for April 26. The Big-D Texas Marathon & Half Marathon is scheduled in Dallas for April 6.

My Achilles’ Heel—Really!

This morning as I began mile three, I felt a tug in my left ankle. It took a moment to register, but I had injured my Achilles tendon. This is the same ankle I broke four years ago. I still have a plate and six screws in that ankle.

At first, I was in denial. I walked a few steps and then tried to run again. Nope, I thought, I've injured myself. I began walking home from the Park. After another 100 yards, I tried to run again. Bad decision. That only made matters worse. Now I was limping.

This is my first bona fide running injury. I plan to lay off for a few days in the hopes it will get better. Bummer.

Technorati Tags: jogging, Running, Injury

Slip-Proof Headphones for Runners

As I have mentioned before, I usually listen to audio books while I run. It’s a great way to kill two birds with one stone. The problem is that I have had difficulty finding headphones that don’t slip out of my ears when I begin to sweat.

I’ve tried nearly everything. Neither the standard-issue headphones that come with the iPod nor a pair of high-end Shure headphones worked. In the end, gravity prevailed and the headphones fell out. This got to be quite a nuisance.

A Runners Guide to Knee Pain

Usually, when I tell people I have taken up running, they respond with some variation of “Gee, isn’t that hard on our knees.” Well, actually, no. At least until recently.

About three weeks ago, I started developing a distinct soreness in my knees. At first, I tried denial. It’s not really that sore, I tried to tell myself. But as I continued to run, the soreness worsened.

Feed Your Brain: The Easy Way

The old adage, “so many books, so little time,” is more true now than ever. With almost 200,000 new titles published every year, we have a cornucopia of literary options. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time keeping up.

Yet I know that “leaders are readers” and “readers are leaders.” If you are going to lead in today’s environment, you have to be a thought leader, and that only comes from reading. If you don’t keep up, you’ll fall behind. Before long, someone else will be doing the leading.

Half Marathon Testimonials

In January, I issued a challenge to our employees to run a Half Marathon with me. The Dallas-based employees who accepted the challenge ran the Big-D Half Marathon on April 1. The Nashville-based employees ran the Country Music Half Marathon on April 28.

Interestingly, I received some criticism for issuing this challenge. I received an anonymous e-mail from someone outside the company who said, “What in the world has running got to do with work?” Well, the short answer is, “more than you think.”

Finishing My First Half Marathon

This morning I ran the Country Music Half Marathon. This was the longest race I have ever done. I finished in 2:39:27. This was 11 minutes faster than my goal of 2:50.

When I first began training, I just hoped to finish. Then, as my training progressed, I got a little more ambitious. I set a goal of 2:20. However, about three weeks ago, I came down with a really bad cold that turned into bronchitis. It took me two weeks to heal up, and I was not able to run for this entire time.

Living with Open Hands

I only have 16 days until the Country Music Half Marathon. My training was going pretty well until recently.

I didn’t run at all during Holy Week. I had two authors in town, plus all the additional services at Church. (In our Church, we have lots of services. We often say, “If you’ve got the time, we’ve got the liturgy.”) I just had more to do than I could physically get done.

Rhythm and Pacing

In almost every project I undertake, I get to the place where I “hit the wall.” You’ve probably been there, too. You’re too far in to quit, but you can’t quite see how to get through to the other side. I experienced this again last week.

If you regularly read this blog, then you know I am training to run a half-marathon in late April. So are 105 of my co-workers. I have been following a training plan I found on the Web and (of course) modified.

How to Boost Your Energy Level

I am a high-energy person. But I haven’t always been that way.

There have been times in my life when I was utterly exhausted. Times when getting through the day was a big chore. Times when I had nothing left to give by the end of the day. Times when I just wanted to collapse into bed and pull the covers over my head.

But in recent years, I am been very deliberate about managing my energy level. I did a lot of reading on this and took the time to educate myself. I experimented. I tried some new things. I broke some old habits. Now, my energy level remains pretty constant through the day.

Here’s how I keep my energy level high:

Half Marathon Update

Several weeks ago, I registered for the Country Music Half Marathon to be held on April 28. In addition, I extended an invitation to Thomas Nelson employees to run with me.

I offered to give employees who registered a special Dragon-slayer t-shirt just for registering. If they complete the race, I will reimburse their entry fee, give them a $100 gift card, and recognize them at the May “All Employee Meeting.”

In addition, in a subsequent post, I agreed to give the employee’s spouse a t-shift and reimburse their entry fee if they also complete the race.

Half Marathon Follow-Up

Several people have indicated to me that they plan to accept my invitation to run the Country Music Half Marathon (or Full Marathon). Awesome. I get excited about doing it together. This will be great.

A few said that they planned to train with their spouses. So, that got me to thinking ... why not encourage this? The Bible says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10).

So, here’s the deal, if your spouse will run, too, I will give you both a t-shirt and reimburse you both for your entry fee if you both complete the race. However, I will only give you one gift card to the Mirror. (You were going to take your spouse, right?) Make sure that you email Suzanne Thompson once your spouse has registered. That way we can add them to the list and get you an additional t-shirt.

An Invitation to Run a Half-Marathon

My wife, Gail, loves to walk outdoors. She likes the fresh air. The scenery. The sense of connecting with God’s creation. For her, it is all about the process of walking.

Not me. I’m all about the destination—or the results. This isn’t necessarily better. In fact, it’s probably not. On the Strengths Finder test, “Achiever” is my number one strength. Unless I have a concrete goal, the process doesn’t mean much. (I apologize to my “Relator” friends.)

So, to be consistent at exercise, I need a goal. And, for me, the bigger the better.

So, at the urging of a couple of friends, I have decided to run the Country Music Half Marathon on April 28. This will be a challenge. I am currently running about 20–25 miles a week. Still, I have never run anything longer than about six miles. But I have 15 weeks to get ready. I figure that is plenty of time. (Said like a true first-timer!)

Slaying Your Dragons Before Breakfast

Iawoke this morning to the dragon’s hot breath on my face. I was disoriented, not quite knowing where I was. I struggled to open one eye. Then another.

And there he was. A dragon. A very big dragon. With three heads. Sitting in my bedroom, like so many mornings before, he was waiting. His heads swerved back and forth, dancing in the dim light. Each head alternately belching fire and hissing smoke. I groaned. Here we go again, I thought. If only I could shut my eyes and will him away. No such luck. His presence only grew more menacing.

I knew that I had to act. I leapt from the bed and ran straight at him. I have learned by experience that my only chance at victory is to slay the dragon while it is still dark. Before the first rays of sunshine strengthen his already substantial advantage. Fortunately, once again, I prevailed. But I will face him again tomorrow. And the day after that.

Although this sounds like a fairy tail, it’s not. It’s my reality, day after day. I face a dragon named Lethargy every morning. It has three heads: spiritual, physical, and intellectual. If I don’t slay this dragon before breakfast, he usually gets the best of me. After breakfast—when the days activities are crowding into my life—my chances of doing battle and winning drop dramatically. Sometimes I can emerge victorious. But rarely. My chances are better if I complete in my basic disciplines before I get assaulted with the demands of the workday.

So, before breakfast, I try to complete the following:

Comfort Does Not Equal Happiness

The current issue of Outside magazine has a great interview with Dean Karnazes. I discussed this phenomenal athlete in a previous post.

In the interview, he makes a point that many of us have forgotten:

Western culture has things a little backwards right now. We think that if we had every comfort available to us, we'd be happy. We equate comfort with happiness. And now we’re so comfortable we're miserable. There’s no struggle in our lives. No sense of adventure. We get in a car, we get in an elevator, it all comes easy. What I’ve found is that I’m never more alive than when I’m pushing and I’m in pain, and I’m struggling for high achievement, and in that struggle I think there’s a magic.

It is well-worth reading the whole interview. You may not aspire to becoming an ultra-marathoner or even a jogger. But you can still draw inspiration from someone who has such passion and commitment about his chosen career.

Technorati Tags: goalsetting, motivation

You Can Accomplish More Than You Think

Holy smoke! I thought I had big goals. Then I read a new article on the Wired Web site about a long-distance runner named Dean Karnazes. It’s called “The Perfect Human.” It’s definitely worth reading.

Here are some of the highlights:

• He ran a marathon a day in a different state for 50 consecutive days. He ran in all 50 states.
  
  
• He once ran 350 miles in three days—with no sleep.
  
  
• He’s run the Badwater Ultramarathon seven times. It starts in Death Valley, 250 feet below sea level and concludes, 135 miles later, halfway up Mt. Whitney, at 8,360 feet. He won the race in 2004 on his fifth attempt.
  
  
• He runs 100 to 170 miles a week.
  
  
• He couldn’t find time to run 4–6 hours a day, so he began sleeping less. He currently only sleeps four hours a night.
  
  
• His resting heart rate is 39 beats per minute!

My favorite quote from him is this one:

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!! What a ride!

Amazingly, Dean just turned 44. Maybe I need to revisit my goals and do a little stretching! You can also read more about him on his official Web site.

Technorati Tags: dean karnazes, goalsetting, motivation, running