i, Will, Run Far

Kevin's last Mantastic Monday

2011-03-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

Pre-race thoughts...

2011-03-12T04:29:00.000-08:00

I'm just sitting here thinking through my hope for this mornings 5k. What kind of time would I like to run, where would I like to place in my age group, what kind of effort do I want to put out there cause after all I do have a long run to do tomorrow. My sometimes overwhelming OCD requires my to have answers to those questions, to have a detailer map of pace and heart rate running through my head, but this morning those numbers and predictions have been shoved to the back. I'm running this morning with 10 other friends from my church, Genesis Community Church and I'm so excited to run with them. My first priority today is to enjoy my favorite thing with my favorite people.

No Facebook...Day One

2011-03-09T05:07:00.001-08:00

Intro to Lent... from Resonate Church on Vimeo.

I fell off the treadmill....FAIL!

2011-02-08T04:32:00.000-08:00

"I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know?"

-Ernest Hemingway

Yea, you read that right. I fell off of the treadmill this morning. When I ended up forcing myself out of bed and then leaving the house late I should have known that something bad was going to happen. I don't, at the moment, have the luxury of worrying about those things. By those, I mean the small irregularities that would normally drive an OCD runner like myself completely bonkers. Anyway, I chose to ignore any hints thrown at me by the hand of providence and continued on to the gym, after all today was free bagel day!

I'll get right to it. I was about a 1 1/2 miles into my run when I started to loosen up with a little help from my close friend Bon Jovi. With 'It's My Life' blasting into my ears I hit the button to increase the speed. I went from a 7:30 per mile pace to a 7:00 per mile pace. I felt good. I took a minute to shake to remainder of the night hours out of my arms. That's when it happened. I know what you're probably thinking, Will was staring at some chic when he busted his a**. Actually that's not correct. I spotted something on one of the t.v.'s that caught my eye. It was one of those videos where the skateboarders are trying to do crazy stuff and then falling to their deaths. Well I guess I got sucked in, you know the famous Will Wall t.v. stare. The next thing I remember I was bouncing off of the treadmill onto the floor. Granted I hit with enough force that the guy next to me crouched down and asked if I needed medical attention. Yes folks, major FAIL! To my credit though I did get back up and finish my run. 3 more miles in the books. Promise Land 50k here I come.

Follow my podcast for audio updates on my training:

http://www.feetbeats.blogspot.com

Friend me on dailymile:

http://www.dailymile.com/people/williamewall

I'm still alive...for now.

2011-01-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

"I run so I do not lose the me I was yesterday and the me I might become tomorrow."

So, todays run went really well. It was after all my first solid run in over a month and my first run outside since November. Even the 7:20 pace didn't seem to take that big of a toll on me until I hit 2 1/2 miles. (that where I took my only walk break) All in all, it felt great to get outside and lace up the shoes. Now I just have to get consistent with my training. I'm shooting for the Conquer the Cove trail marathon here in Roanoke on the 5th of June. This will be the first trail marathon for Roanoke and I'm excited to give it a go, I just have to discipline myself to train. So here is goes. I've got 5 months to hit several goals. 1) Consistently hit a 7 min training pace, 2) lose at least 15 pounds, (I'm currently pushing 165, which is too far gone from the 140 I was when I was coaching cross country and track) 3) get to the gym 3 times a week for strength training.

I'll try to do better about blogging to so that I can at least have a record of this attempt good or bad. If I can get myself through this next 5 months and stick to my plan and survive I'd like to try and ultra in the fall just for kick. Why not?

Time to Begin Again

2011-01-30T08:54:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm about to head out for my first run in a month. I'm anxious to get out there but I'm not that anxious for all of the gasping for air that is going to be involved. But it has to be done, I'm not going to spend this year retreating into the couch of doom. So, here I go....I'll let ya know how it goes.

This Morning...

2010-09-07T04:12:00.001-07:00

I awoke from my dreams with a resolute desire to move. There was a desire to test the limits of myself. How far until my will would give in? How fast until my heart could not keep up? How long until the loneliness drove me inside of myself? This morning as I arose from my bed the questions could not be left alone. No longer could I lay them on the nightstand and expect them to give in to my normal morning slothfulness. No, this morning they would be dealt with. This morning they would be answered.

Wearily I went through the motions, picking out the right clothes and lacing up the right shoes. I stumbled down the steps and scoured through my desk in search of my watch. 'Where is it, where is it?' I repeated aloud, as though someone was listening or caring about the conflict that was growing in my chest. Just as I began to contemplate justifying a trip back to the bed I saw the watch on the corner of the desk and cursed at it under my breath. 'Why this morning?' I mumbled to myself as I stepped out of the door.

In spite of the opposition that my body was giving to this unnamed thirst within my members, something happened as I started to move forward. I began to hear and to fall into the rhythm of my feet hitting the ground. Thump ...thump ....thump ....thump ....thump ...thump. I became aware of my body, aware of my legs, my arms. As the weariness of slept fell away and the sun rose in front of me, inexplicably, I became aware of myself. The questions of how far, how fast and how long began to come into view and as I saw it in the distance I entered into full pursuit.

This morning didn't end in answers. My sunrise quest did not end in success but rather in transformation. This morning I awoke a slothful, grumpy, monster. A creature I never meant to be, dreamed to be, or strove to grow into. This morning I answered the call of the great unnamed desire. This morning I moved foward. This morning I became a good animal. This morning I became a runner...and tomorrow I'll do it all over again.

No Running...FAIL!

2010-08-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

OK, I haven't ran in a week and a half. A WEEK AND A HALF! Epic FAIL. Still, admitting you have a problem is the beginning of recovery right? I think I can blame my lack of forward motion on several different things, the first being that work has been tremendously busy the past two weeks. Second, I hadn't planned any other races after the FAB 5k and after I ran that the Saturday before last I lost some of my will to get out of the bed early.

All that being said, the time for excuses has passed. This is a whole new week, a new beginning. Bring it. It's actually almost 11:00pm while I'm writing this so I'm going to finish up so that I can hit the sack. It's up early in the morning to spend some time with my Jesus and then out the door to enjoy his creation before the buzz of the day. Here's to a new week and rested legs.

Never Let Go!

2010-07-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Lord my position here within your grace
At times I'm speechless for the list of sins that I embrace
So undeserving of the love I feel when face to face
But sweeter still my heart is thrilled with how your mercy tastes
I'm thirsty Lord and hunger more for you my righteousness
And find I'm satisfied in Christ alone and nothing less
Oh Lord I must confess my life of nothingness
Not wondrous or wonderful cause truthfully your beautiful
Unique in all your loveliness
Your grace is heaven sent
And since every sin I've ever sinned
has simply been forgiven by the Son you sent
I praise you Lord in reverence
And for the blood you shed to set me free
I'll be loving you in every sense
So now I stand a leper cleansed
You paid whatever debt my efforts could have never met
in all my wickedness
So in the present tense I pray the world
is listening to witness this
This song of my deliverance.

Taken from the Lifechurch.tv
South Oklahoma City Worship podcast dated 5.13.07
Intro to You Never Let Go by Matt Redman

1st Annual WCW Pre-Fourth of July Super Happy Fun Time Event Festival of Love and Friendship

2010-07-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

Trail Nut Half Marathon 6.5.10

2010-06-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Alright, tomorrow is the big race. The Trail Nut Half Marathon at Falling Creek Park in Bedford, VA. This will be the third year that the race has been run and I ran in the first race two years ago. The course is mostly on trails and over rolling hills. The last time I ran this race I thought way to much of myself and my ability and I greatly underestimated the difficulty involved in trail running. (This was my first time running on trails much less racing on them.) I went out and led the first two miles of the race at what I can only look back now and guess was a 6:15 or 6:20 pace. Needless to say that by the end of the race I was boarding on death and I was less than ecstatic about my 1:47 finishing time. This year I am looking to remedy some of my earlier mistakes, I'll be taking the first several miles of the race easy, I'm planing on running with my camel-back to ward off dehydration and armed with my former knowledge I've put together a bit of a pace-per-mile plan. I'm hoping to finish somewhere around 1:40 and if I'm able to pull it off I'll be the happiest guy in town. Either way this is an awesome race in a great location and it's put on by a great staff with a laid back attitude. I had a blast last time and I'm looking forward to being there in the morning. Bring it on.

Some Links:

http://www.mountainjunkies.net/ (Check these guys out)

http://bedfordtrails.wordpress.com/about/ (This is the race location)

A Vacation At Pop's

2010-06-03T18:55:00.000-07:00

So, I've had a great week visiting with Pop here in central Florida. We've done tons of stuff, I've slept in almost every day and I've been stuffing myself with great food.

Tuesday pop fixed a french toast breakfast and then we headed out to Wild Willy's Airboat Rides. That was an great afternoon. We flew around this lake with a guy named Captain Pete. We saw alligators, endangered birds, cranes, snails and even a bald eagle. After the boat ride we even got hold an actual alligator...super cool. Tuesday night we filled our guts at Texas de Brazil, a Brazilian steakhouse in Orlando. There was meat as far as the eye could see., a carnivores dream.

Wednesday was the easy day. Pop had to go to a meeting in Tampa and so I spent the morning playing Wii and watching the Today show. I went for a short run and then spent a long time in the pool paying with my Kodak Playsport Camera. Maura, my step-mom, and I went and saw Prince of Persia. It was awesome, highly recommend. Chili's for dinner and the easy day was finished off with an at home screening of Transformers 2.

Today, Thursday, we spent the day at The Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL. I had a great time walking around and seeing all of the space stuff and spending the day with Pop. The two IMAX movies that we saw, one about the moon missions and the other about the Hubbel telecope, were both awesome and 3-D so double awesome.

I'm heading home tomorrow and it's a bummer to see vacation to come to an end but it's more of a bummer to go back home and not see Pop again for a couple of months. I've had a great time Pop, thanks for a great vacation.

RACE DAY!

2010-05-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, the race was awesome. I couldn't have asked or planned anything better. The weather was perfect and the race set-up today was extremely well thought out. Great job AEP! I ended up finishing in 19:29, 13th overall and 3rd in my age group.

Congrats to my sister who did an amazing job finishing in 36:01

Congrats to Joey, 5th overall and 1st in his age group in 18:47

AEP Race Strategy

2010-05-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I started with a 6:12 mile and definately found out that is not the path to my best time. I have ran AEP 4 different times, it was actually my very first race ever. In 2003 I finished in 20:57, average pace of 6:44, and I think I even finished third in my age group. In 2005 I had a great race finishing in 18:42, average pace of 6:00. That year I finished 7th overall and 2nd in my age group. In 2008 I decided I would try running the 10k instead of the 5k. It was only fitting that I run my first 10k on the same course that I raced my first 5k. I finished in 42:38 with an average pace of 6:52. The last year, 2009, I ran with my sister and tried to help her beat the 30 minute mark, which has been elusive for her despite many solid and courageous attempts. It turned out to not be the day and we finished in 35:50 and 35:51.

I know that I am not in the condition that I was in 2005, but I'd like to think that I can still beat my 2003 time of 20:57. So how? How do I make tomorrow the best race that it can be. How do I race my best and enjoy the run? Hopefully this will get me there...

Mile 1 - 7:00
Mile 2 - 13:30 (6:30)
Mile 3 - 19:45 (6:15)
Mile 3.11 - 20:30 (6:00)

My Race Playlist:
0:00 - 3:35 T.N.T. - AC/DC
3:37 - 6:20 The Comeback Kid - B. Reith
6:22 - 9:31 Boom - P.O.D.
9:33 - 12:20 I Won't Back Down - Tom Petty
12:22 - 16:42 No Easy Way Out - Robert Tepper
16:44 - 20:29 Remember The Name - Fort Minor

Time For A Reality Check...

2010-05-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

Ok so I had this great idea. Since I have payed the exorbitant fee of $30 to run in Saturday's AEP Festival 5k race in downtown Roanoke, I decided to go downtown tonight and try out the course. I know, I know, great idea right? I wasn't looking to do anything crazy, just run nice and easy so I can get a good visual of the course and so that I could check out the elevation profile off my Garmin. Well the course seemed pretty easy to start off with and I guess that was when the trouble started. I clocked the first mile in 6:12 and after that it was all downhill. I ended up the easy 5k run in 22:43.

The question to ask and hopefully answer before I kill myself on Saturday is why. Why kill myself 1 mile into a three mile run when I'm racing against none but the voices in my head. Why am I not content with my best but only in striving to be better than someone else's best? Why can I not just enjoy the run?

Maybe these aren't the right questions...but what are the right questions? I'm not sure, but I'll keep thinking about it as I lay down mile after mile. As for the 5k coming up this Saturday and the 1/2 Marathon the next weekend, my goal is not a finished time I'm proud of but a run that I enjoy. So I'll be the guy hanging back and taking it all in...maybe?

Quick three down by the river...

2010-05-20T04:47:00.001-07:00

Up early this morning at the crack of quarter past seven I decided to go ahead and get my miles in before work. They are after all calling for highs in the upper 80s today. I was going to run five but thanks to my slothful nature and the fact that being late to work is just downright unacceptable, to my employer anyway, I ended up just squezzing in a quick three mile tempo run. The final time was 21:03 over 3.03 miles. I felt good the whole time and tried to keep the old heart rate between 160 and 170. Overall a nice run but AEP is only 8 or 9 days away now. Bring it on, Bring...It...On!

Murray Run Greenway 5/11/10

2010-05-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Long Run 05-08-10

2010-05-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

I ran from the AT parking lot at the top of Catawba Mt on US-311 to the Exxon Station on US-220.

Happy Birthday Mommy!

2009-09-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

You are loved and adored more than you can imagine!

Proverbs 31:28

Never Let Go!

2009-07-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

Lord my position here within your grace
At times I'm speechless for the list of sins that I embrace
So undeserving of the love I feel when face to face
But sweeter still my heart is thrilled with how your mercy tastes
I'm thirsty Lord and hunger more for you my righteousness
And find I'm satisfied in Christ alone and nothing less
Oh Lord I must confess my life of nothingness
Not wondrous or wonderful cause truthfully your beautiful
Unique in all your loveliness
Your grace is heaven sent
And since every sin I've ever sinned has simply been forgiven by the Son you sent
I praise you Lord in reverence
And for the blood you shed to set me free I'll be loving you in every sense
So now I stand a leper cleansed
You paid whatever debt my efforts could have never met in all my wickedness
So in the present tense I pray the world is listening to witness this
This song of my deliverance.

Taken from the LIfechurch.tv South Oklahoma City Worship podcast dated 5.13.07
Intro to You Never Let Go by Matt Redman

I've officially 'gone country'...

2009-06-18T19:38:00.000-07:00

That's right, will has gone country. Hard to get your head around, well you're not the only one so don't feel lonely out there. I have taken over a new route at work and now I drive over 200 miles everyday through God's wonderfully magnificent creation. My day starts on the outskirts of Christiansburg. I leave from there fairly early on and head down into Pilot, followed by Riner and then I end my day in Floyd. I now see two to three times more cows everyday than I do people, and by the end of it all I smell a lot like one too. I see quite a lot o creatures actually. Over the past four days i've seen lots of deer, cows, horses, chickens, turkey, rabbits, squirlls, and chipmunks, snakes, racoons, llamas, buffallo, geese, and even the occasional dog or cat. I took some pictures today, you can see the rest @ http://picasaweb.google.com/williamewall/Floyd. I guess what I've learned so far is that more often than not the longest, bumpiest, curviest and most narrow roads lead you to the most beautiful places. I don't know about you but that sure applies to my life....take me home country roads, take me home.

No more arms length...

2009-06-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

I don't know what you're like when you are with your friends but I've never been one to open up and lay it all out. When I was younger I was really shy and introverted. I know...those of you who know me are thinking, "Yea right!" Really, I was. My sister was the extrovert. When we went anywhere, even to the play place at McDonalds she was the one who would run around and meet people and I was the one who sat by myself and played in the dirt. It wasn't until I got to high school that I decided to become more extroverted and that was more of a survival decision than a life change.
I say all that to help you understand that I never have been comfortable with letting people know who I really am. After all I haven't liked me most of my life so why would my friends if they really knew me, especially once I got older and started to be someone behind the scenes that no one else knew.
All that is changing now. I am no longer the person I was because I have a God whose grace is greater than all my sin and whose desire to redeem me is greater than my ability to mess it up. I have had the blessing of being introduced to a group of people I never tried to interact with before. The core of these folks are in my sunday school class, Potters Clay. I've decided to open up and see what happens and guess what, God is using all of these wonderful new friends to show me that He loves me more than I could ever imagine. Our God is so great!

All I have...

2009-06-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

I was listening to this song Tuesday night as I drove home from what seemed to be an endless stream of bad days at work. The world wasn't coming to an end but I have had to work quite a few long days the past couple of weeks and every one of them has had its own fair share of stress. Anyway, the song (yes one of my previous mentioned top ten) reminded me as I sailed home in my Grand Marquis that I know God is in control...and so...AND SO! And so I need to start acting like it. Contrary to any belief that I have been clinging to the past few weeks, God is in fact more powerful than UPS. He, not my supervisors, is in charge of what route I'm on and even how many boxes I have in my truck. He has a plan for each one of my days. When I start complaining am I complaining about my job or am I complaining about Him? I guess tomorrow I need to start delivering boxes like I KNOW that He is in control.

Father, thank you for giving me a job that provides for all the needs of my family. Thanks for keeping me safe at work every day. Help me work for your glory and live out what I know...You're in control!

All I Have by John Reuben

Are you disappointed?
Is this world a let down
With your head in the clouds it’s time to get down
Head on collision crushed by dreams
So we leave our hearts at the accident scene shattered pieces scattered
Who told us it was okay to allow our thoughts to be flattered
And entertained with ideas that can’t sustain
And our future once so confidently proclaimed
So where do you go from here when it all disappears
Apathy dries your tears until you don’t care or you live and die
Occupied with disclaimers and reasons as to why realize life isn’t lived in fantasies
No matter how much planning or strategy
Joy comes along with tragedy I own them all gladly

(chorus)
I’m alright I’m okay
I kind of like doing things this way
All I have is what God gives
And that’s all the life that I was meant to live
I’m alright I’m okay
I kind of like doing things this way
All I have it what God gives
And that’s all the life that I was meant to live

We’re not taught trial and error
We’re not taught nor are we prepared
So we fail against everyday opponents
All the while we’re still living for glorious moments
And the media feeds the youth a false reality of what it takes to make yourself happy
And since they’ve got about a one in a billion shot
Why try and make them think it’s something that it’s not
No this ain’t a movie this is real life
The spot light don’t shine quite as bright as some might like
But that’s alright cuz the starlight at night is more of a highlight than the highlife
The air I consume from the breath of creation renews my soul everyday I awake
Ah man tell me who knew that simply being content was the dream come true

My life as a music video...

2009-05-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I love music. My iPod is practically an appendage...really. I may just be weird but I like to think about which songs I would put on my life soundtrack. What would the Big Willy soundtrack sound like right now. Martyrs and Thieves by Jennifer Knapp would definitely be track one. The lyrics seem to just capture the past year of my life in words that are just awesome. Next up would be Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns because although I like to think that I would have stepped out of the boat I think I would have probably tried to grab Peter thinking he was about to kill himself. It's a great reminder of whose voice I should be listening too. Track three has to be In The Light by DC Talk, 1 John 1:7 I wanna be in the light! I think I would slow it down a bit for track four and throw in Matthew West and Only Grace. The acoustic version on his Writers Room-EP is awesome. Some days you just have to cling to truth in this one, there is only grace and it's enough. Track five hands down would be Burn for You by Toby Mac. The last five would be; 6) All I Have by John Reuben, 7) Joy by Newsboys, 8) Two Hands by Jars of Clay, 9) Psalm 73 - My God's Enough by BarlowGirl, and 10) What Trouble Are Giants (Live) by Rich Mullins.

If my iPod is pumping there is a pretty good chance that one of these songs are thumpin my ear drums into itty bitty little pieces.

Those are my ten...what are yours?

My Old Truck...

2009-05-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday morning I woke up a little earlier than normal for a Saturday. I fired up my old red 1986 Dodge pickup and I drove to our old house to get started on a few projects. After a few hours of working it was time for a trip to the hardware store. Grab the keys, lock up the house, start the truck...start the truck...stink I left the lights on. I was going no where quick. In just two short hours my old reliable truck had turned into a useless heap. I had some time to think while I sat there waiting for my wife to come and help me out of a pretty routine mess. When she arrived I was ready with what I thought was a grand revelation..."I am just like my truck."
"What do you mean?" Mary asked.
I said, "I am just like this old heap; old, beat up, and unreliable. As a matter of fact I usually stop working right in the middle of something important. Sometimes though if you give me a good jump start I usually get myself moving and finish right before it's too late."
Mary laughed. She laughed in part because I continually joke about being old even though I'm not, and partly because there was truth to what I had said and like myself she was surprised that I was just putting these pieces together.
The question that I am asking myself now, over a week later, "does God want me to live my life as if I'm a red 1986 Dodge pickup." I don't think so...
I am called by God to love my wife just as Christ loves the church. I should be leading my family with love, vision. and the attitude of a servant. I should be striving every day to know more, live more and share more. The fact is none of these sound anything like an opportunity to be unreliable, but instead they seem like a responsibility to be quite the opposite. I have no business acting like my old pickup.
I know God had transformed me into a new creation, the old has gone. I know that I don't need to be jump started, I've been given the full resources of God's Holy Spirit. I know I'll never be left stranded because Jesus has promised to leave me nor forsake me. I know that I am not an old beat up 1986 Dodge pickup but a brand new 2009 Ford F150. I know what God has done for me and in me...and so...

Two in one day!

2009-04-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

Well I doubles up today. I ran 5k this morning and then another 3m at lunch. Both were nice runs. I have a lot of work to do though if I want to come anywhere close to 18 min at the AEP run. Tomorrow I am supposed to do speedwork...we'll see?!?

Ever feel like a grasshoper?

2009-04-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

"We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." Numbers 13:33b

I fight with the grasshopper mid set ALOT. Much more than I would ever like to admit to anyone. I'm a pessimist at heart and I can find something wrong with any plan. When someone shares an idea with me, a dream or a passion, my first reaction is rarely one of excitement and encouragement. Usually The first thoughts in my head are, "Wow, I doubt that's ever going to work." What's the root cause of this constant battle? Why am I not the first to embolden and inspire my family and friends instead of being so tempted to dampen their spirits? Why when God asks me to obey him do I feel the need to mention how tall the obstacles are, how small my resources feel, and how slim the chance of success seems before I disobey?

I LACK FAITH!

There I said it. I didn't open my bible looking for this this morning. I totally didn't expect to be convicted about anything while I trudged through Numbers. It was waiting for me though, a mirror reflecting my disobedience and lack of faith. God's grace revealed to my heart in Numbers 13:33. The spies gave no credence to what God thought of them, how others looked at them. Their lack of faith had turned them into nothing in their own eyes, into grasshoppers. Any task was impossible because of their weakness and failures, and it most certainly was if their strength was all they had to depend on.

Today I wont see opportunities as roads to disappointment because I can do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13). I wont submit my mind to evil thoughts because through Jesus I can bring every thought into captivity (2 Cor. 10:5). I wont be condemned by yesterdays failures because I am forgiven (Col. 1:13-14), saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8), and justified through Christ (Rom. 5:1). I wont disobey because of my lack of faith. I am taking my eyes off of Will and I am placing them firmly on my Father. My opinion of myself matters little because I am a child of God (Rom. 8:16). He has blessed me with every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3) and has made me strong in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10). I live today walking by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7) because I am a follower of Jesus (Eph. 5:1) and he has called me to be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). Today I am refusing to live as a grasshopper because I am a child of the King.

Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen...

2009-02-23T04:15:00.000-08:00

I started reading that account of the Exodus this morning. The story never seems to get old or have any less power to grip my heart. This morning the Holy Spirit brought to my attention that one of the tools God used to harden Pharaoh's heart was the ability of his magicians to duplicate God's wonders. (Ex. 6:10-13; 7:20-24; 8:5-7)
It made me wonder how many of God's wonders to I pass by and harden to each day. As I try to walk in the Spirit and see my world through faith filled eyes I'm constantly shamed by my lack of faith. I slip into routine and regularity and as I process the events of the day through my eyes of flesh I miss the blessing of God's mighty wonders.
Father, help me to interact with your world today with eyes of faith. Please help me to see your wonders today. Thank you for your mighty power. Lord, increase my faith!

I couldn't say it better!

2009-02-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

If You Want Me...
Todd Agnew

I'll admit I'm glad we're not disciples
Out on a lake paralyzed with fright
'Cause I'm afraid I might have laughed at Peter
Until he stepped into that stormy night

If You wanted me to walk on water
Why'd You make this solid ground seem so right?

I'll admit I'm glad I'm not King David
Ruling over everything I see
'Cause I think I've fallen for more than Bathsheba
Your creation's a temptation for me

If You wanted me to love You only
Why'd you make the moonlight sparkle in her eyes?

I'll admit I'm glad I'm not John the Baptist
In a jail cell waiting for my day to die
'Cause at least down here I know what we're chasing
And it's hard to trust Your dreams are so much better than mine

If You wanted me to die to myself
Why'd You make me fall so deeply in love with life?

If You wanted me to surrender
Why'd You make these hands able to hold on so tight?

If You wanted me to be like You
Why'd You make me like me?

First run in a long while...

2009-02-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

Today I went for a short 5k run on the Huckleberry Trail (Blacksburg, VA). The weather was beautiful and I really enjoyed being out in my running shoes again. I was pleasently surprised at how well it felt and even keeping a moderate 7:15 pace wasn't that hard. My new nike plus worked great and I took the opportunity to listen to the latest Phidippidations episode. Can't wait to do it again tomorrow.

Awesome Vacation!

2008-06-09T16:00:00.000-07:00

I just got home from an awesome week of vacation. I spent 5 days in Florida with my Dad and step mom who live in Ocala. I got to go to Universal Studios on Wednesday and Thursday. (Thanks Mom!) I visited Universal on Wednesday and my dad took the day off of work and he and my step mom went with me, and then I went back on Thursday to Islands of Adventure. It was an awesome time. On Friday night, my last night there, Dad took me out to Ipanema to celebrate my 29th Birthday. It was delicious. If you have never been to a Brazilian steakhouse you have to go. They brought an endless supply of 12 different meats to the table as long as we could keep eating. I must have eaten 2-3 lbs of meat. It was wonderful. All in all it was great to get away from work and the stresses of regular life and escape to Florida. I really enjoyed visiting my Dad and I can't wait to go back and visit again. (maybe in the fall next time).

Races, races, races!

2008-05-27T16:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago a friend called me asking me to run the AEP Festival 5k/10k. He runs it every year and, although he lives about an hour away, he was driving in for it. This was right after my 1/2 which was very enjoyable but totally trashed me. (I was dead tired for like a week and a half) I was initially going to just tell him I couldn't but I just couldn't resist the urge to run. I decided that I would run the 10k instead of the 5k and that I wouldn't set any kind of a time goal for myself, I would just take it easy and let the chips fall where they may. It was going to be my first 10k anyway so I was guaranteed a PR, there was no reason to kill myself.

The race ended up going great, I started out with an 8 minute mile and steadily dropped my time every mile after. My final time was 42:38, which I was very pleased with. Bring on the next race!

Trail Nut 1/2 Marathon and 10K

2008-05-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

I had a blast today at the Trail Nut 1/2 Marathon and 10k. The race seemed to be very well organized. The were somewhere between 50 and 75 runners combined, and the weather turned out to be very beautiful. The course was well marked, although because of the recent rain that we have had it was pretty muddy and by the time the 1/2 marathoners made the second loop of the first 4 miles of the course it had become very slick in places in many places. Personally I didn't think that the course conditions took away from the course, i thought it just made it more fun and extra challenging. I led the first 1/2 mile of the race and I definitely went out too fast. I quickly dropped by into third and held third position until about mile 8. The last 5 miles of the course were extremely hard for me and I ended up having to walk a few of the steeped uphill sections. I think I finished in 7th place with a time of 1:47:25. 1st in the 25-29 age group. you can view results and upcoming races put on by Mountain Junkies LLC at http://mountainjunkies.blogspot.com/

Been a while...

2008-05-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

I have been to the edges of shin splint death and I have survived to fight another day. I started running again last week and I have tried to take it really easy. No use pushing it, I'd just end up hurting these fragile chicken legs again. I've also started to cross train a little on an old bike that I have recently acquired. (The bike is actually from JC Penny, that's how old the thing is!) That's been fun and it been a good change of pace. I'd still trade a run for a bike ride any day, but that bike rides will have to suffice until I can build my mileage back up. Speaking of obscene mileage...

I have signed up to run a half marathon on Saturday. It's the Trail Nut 10k and Half Marathon. It is put on by Mountain Junkies LLC and the race is being held at a park in beautiful Bedford, VA. In case your wondering I have heard that faint voice of reason in my head saying, 'hey, stupid, you're nursing an injury. Why make it worse by running 13.1 miles.' In the words of Steve Prefontaine in the movie 'without limits', "Bill, you don't know what will happen to my foot if I do run, but you do know what it'll do to me if I don't." That, plus the registration was $30 bucks and I feel guilty if I wasted it. Plus who can sit out on a race. Bring it on. I'm hoping to break 1:30. That is about where I was before I began to feel the shin splints and so we'll give it a go and see what happens. Hopefully I'll post again on Sunday with the joyous announcement of a PR. Until then "Prepare ship for ludicrous speed!"

Hiking at Roaring Run

2008-04-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Jake, Hannah, Sam and I went hiking at Roaring Run on Saturday. It turned out to be rather nice and the kids were really excited to see the waterfall. I was a little scared that they wouldn't make it all the way to the waterfall which is about 3/4 of a mile up the trail, but in the end they did better than me.

It got me thinking about how encumbered I am by distance. How concerned I am about whether i'm going to run 3 miles today of 5. It could have been a twelve mile hike on Saturday and I think they would have been just fine. They could really care less about how far they had to go, they just wanted to see the waterfall.

Stinkin' Shin Splints...

2008-04-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been inflicted once again. When will I learn, 'Will is not superman.' Say it again, after me, 'Will is not superman.' I ran way to much the week before last and sure enough last week when I strapped on my shoes I only made it a mile down the huckleberry trail before common sense struck me with the thought that it would be better to go back now than have someone carry me back later. So it looks like ill be resting for a few weeks. Hope this thing gets better soon. I've got a 1/2 marathon on the 10th of May. Whether my shins are better or not that thing cost $30 and I intend to enjoy every penny of it!

2008-04-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

Dave says, 'run, why would anyone want to run?' No what he really said was, 'what are you doing with you phone there Ben?' quickly followed by, 'you'd better erase that, boy!' Sorry Dave this picture is just to dang funny to not show to the world. (or the 3 other people who occasionally look at this blog.)

Shamrock 5k 2008

2008-03-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

The Shamrock run was a ton of fun. I was excited and pumped about running this race several weeks prior and hoping to perform really well and everything came together for a great day. My best friend Ben Clark was running also and we were able to meet up and go trough our pre-race preparations together. (You're the bomb, dog!) The weather turned out to be a tad bit chilly but about a mile in it felt perfect.
My original plan was to go out with the front runners and try to stick with them as far as I could. I usually stick with the school of thought that vows negative splits are the way to go. (That every mile run should be faster than the mile before it. In other words do go out really fast or you'll be destined to crash and burn.) I had read an article in runners world magazine that stated that new studies had found that people who ran their first mile 3-6% faster than their last mile usually were able to post better times. I decided to take a chance a try something different.

My first problem was that the entire staring line was flushed full of little kids. Children have no business being in the front of the starting line at a race. I am glad that they were participating but it's just not safe for them or for the runners who are tyring to perform at their best. After the field narrowed I found a spot with two other runners and we were able to stick together for the first two miles of the race. We hit the first mile at 6:12 and then the second mile at 12:15. I'm still not sure as to whether they speed up or if I slowed down but after the second mile the two fellow runners that I was running with up to that point pulled away from me at the second mile mark and ended up finishing about 5-10 seconds ahead of me. While I missed the mark of 18:00 that I was shooting for I was very happy with my 19:26 performance. I was definitely happy with the 1st place finish in my age group. (23-29) It was also great to have my wife, Mary, my kids, Jacob, Hannah, and Sam with me. My mom and step dad also came to help cheer. This years run didn't disappoint.

Almost Race Time!

2008-03-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

All right, time is ticking and start time is getting closer and closer. I ran six miles yesterday and I hope that that wasn't too far. It was gorgeous outside and it just felt to good to stop running until my lunch hour was totally gone. Anyway, I feel good about the race tomorrow. I am planning on heading out with the front runners. I'm going to run with my Garmin and set-up the training partner for an 18 minute finish. Here's hoping. I figure if I can stay with the top 10 or 15 runners I should be able to pull it off. This course is flat as a pancake with one small hill at the end so no time like the present.
My best friend, Ben, is coming over tonight and we're going to eat the customary pasta and get mentally prepared by watching 'Without Limits'. If you haven't seen this movie about Pre you need to stop what you're doing and get it...NOW...I'm not kidding, it's that good. I usually have to stop in the middle and go out for a run.

Slow Week!

2008-03-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess a little rest never hurt anyone. At least I hope so, I have a race to run this Saturday. A race that I am actually hoping to doquite well in. It's amazing how this time last week I felt great about the upcoming Shamrock 5k, and now after a week that I finished with 10 less miles recorded that the week before, I suddenly feel less prepared.
I do think that the rest was needed. I was definately begining to feel the dreaded shin splints coming back and that has never been a good thing. I have started to feel some of the speed that I had a few years ago, that last time I was taking my running this serious, and I think I just got a little to anxious. A few to many runs that my heart was excited about but my body just wasn't quite ready for yet. Anyway, lesson learned...yet again.
This week I'll probably take about the same as last week, maybe one extra run if the weather turns out to be as nice as it looks on tv. I'm hoping to PR at the race on Saturday, but I think I'll be happy just to drop below 19 minutes. Next I'm setting my sights on the AEP run in June. that 18 minute PR there would be awesome.
Run strong and don't hold back!

UPS in 'Fortunes' most admired...again!

2008-03-05T16:15:00.000-08:00

Georgia has landed five companies on Fortune magazine's Most Admired Companies 2008 list, with one company cracking the top 20.
The list, published March 4, ranks Atlanta-based United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: HD) highest among the Georgia companies, placing 17th overall and No. 1 in its industry category.
"The world's largest package-delivery company may be 100 years old, but it hasn't gained corporate America's admiration by acting its age," Fortune writes. "Known for its ability to combine cutting-edge technology with its own brand of 'human engineering' to great effect, the $49.7 billion shipping giant continues to develop, delivering a record four billion packages in 2007."
Also on the list were The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO), Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: CCE), The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) and Genuine Parts Co. (NYSE: GPC).

Day off from work!

2008-03-03T09:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I got the boot from UPS this morning. Just for the day, so no worries there. I am heading back down to the greenway to run by the river. I started out way to fast yesterday and before I knew it I was knee deep in a footrace with my imaginary olympian racing buddy. I didn't win yesterday, nor have I ever, but today is a new day with new chances.

Beautiful Sunday!

2008-03-02T12:50:00.000-08:00

Well as soon as I said I couldn't wait for the warm weather it showed up. What would you know. Maybe I should start voicing my opinion more often. Being that it is gorgeous outside I think I will leave the florescent filled compy room here at the library and hit the greenway downtown for a nice long run by the river. Happy trails!

Always a first!

2008-03-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

Alright, here I am sitting at the library rushing to finish this post before my timer runs out and I get kicked off of this compy. Running this week has been fun and enjoyable but I am so ready for the weather to get warmer. The Shamrock distance 5k is coming up in two weeks and I don't know if I am going to be able to topple that 18:00 PR like I was wanting to, but it is going to be fun none the less.