"you're in 9th place...."

the first of 4 marathons we're running in the large state of Texas was checked off this past weekend. Pa-Woo, Larry and I ran Marathon to Marathon in, well, Marathon, TX. it was a small marathon, but set in a beautiful part of the country, chock full of mountains, desert and quirkiness. we stayed at the Gage Hotel in Marathon - a place i'm already planning to revisit. not only was the hotel and its accommodations unique, its restaurant was one of the best at which i've ever eaten. even better was the chance to hang out with Larry and Sheri, who we have been lucky to befriend and travel to many marathons with.

I went into this marathon with the idea that i'd take it easy in preparation for this weekend's North Face Challenge Endurance Challenge - 31 trail miles in Madison, WI. but as i started off, with mountains around me and the course lit by a desert sunrise, i flat took off. felt great. kept feeling good on a very hilly course and when i got to mile 18, a man at the water stop said, "I think you're in 9th place."



i am not fast. and even if 10 people were running the race, i wouldn't guess to be in 9th place. so when he told me this, i cranked up a new strategy: finish this marathon in the top 10. i figured it'd be the only chance i would have in my marathoning. so, with about 8 miles left, i kept myself safely away from two encroaching runners, paced the women's winner, and flat skipped the water stops and the urge to pee. by the time i got to the finish line, i was still in 9th. a small step for mankind, a big step in my running world. as always, i ran in Brooks shoes, supplemented my nutrition and hydration with Hammer products and wore an aerodynamic do-rag.

the race ended and the rest of the fun began: lounging in a beautiful hotel courtyard, sharing war stories with dad and Larry, celebrating with good food and some post-race-party beer...appropriately served in the race's remaining gatorade cups.

i will definitely make a plan to run this again. hoping to get a whole crew to go down and spend some additional time in Marathon, TX. big thanks to Ma-Woo and Sheri for the incredible crew vehicle support. they made this possible, as always.

today's schedule includes a massage and some light running. tomorrow i'll hop on the chiropractor's table to ensure alignment before this weekend's ultra. more soon.

Helen Gold run/walk adds a 10K!

if you're looking for a good local KC race that helps fight an important cause, the Helen Gold race is Sept. 13. the race is helping to raise funds and awareness for Parkinson's Disease. i've run this race a few times and always had a great time - the best thing about this year's race is the new 10K option.

this time of year seems to be one that necessitates little bumps in one's running and training. we're about to hit fall races, summer runs are behind us, etc. i'm facing five 26-mile-plus events in the fall and winter and need some motivation and energy. i'll run this race as a way to jump start my competitiveness and get myself back in the step of events and races.

the other thing i love about this race is that the company I work for, Barkley, has been an amazing supporter both creatively and in spreading the word. not that we're not want for ways to socialize internally, but running and walking with your co-workers, for a great cause, sure is a good way to come together.

hit up the Web site to learn more and show up on the 13th.

my dad plain rocks

i've posted about my dad's blog a couple times. if you're an athlete, or even a maybe-i-wanna-be-an athlete, you will dig his posts. here's the most recent reason i'm proud to be his son.

Lunar Trek Ultramarathon Done

so it started during one of the weekly "Man Dates" that a core group of us men gather for each Monday. there was beer, there was much talking and boasting and at the end of the night, there was my dad with a pen in one hand and a registration sheet in the other. i signed it, didn't think much of what i was doing and set about to recycle the damage of the evening.

what i signed was my reg for the Lunar Trek 50 K (31 mile) ultramarathon in Scandia, Kansas. i've never run farther than marathon distance, so tackling 31 miles was daunting. then throw in the fact that the race starts at 11 p.m. and you're not only battling mileage, but the fact that your body wants to be asleep. then, throw in mud - lots of good, slow, ankle-pranking mud - and you've got a heckuva race.

dad and i completed the Lunar Trek this morning...around 5:30, just as the sun was coming up. to say that was a weird experience is not doing it justice. i am, however, so pleased with our time (6:28 total - this included long stops at aid stations and some walking) and even more appreciative of the great couple of days I could spend with my parents.

i couldn't have done this without my dad's support. moreover, neither of us could have been so well prepared and taken care of without Ma Woo, who, as always, met us every five miles with everything from fruit to candy to a suite of Hammer Nutrition products to crazy stories of her own adventures throughout the night (see the state of the family SUV below).

the organizers deserve an incredible amount of praise. they did such a nice job not only welcoming us to their small Kansas town, but laying out a challenging course with ample support and fun. big thanks to the families along the route who opened their farms/barns/drives to us and provided everything from boiled potatoes to booming hip-hop to keep us going. i will be back next year.

the support vehicle. i used Hammer Perpeteum, Heed, Gel, Endurolytes, Gatorade, Sport Legs and some Twizzlers Nibs for my fueling regimen.

members of the Kansas City Trail Nerds showed up in force. we took a quick group shot before the start and then enjoyed seeing familiar faces at the aid stations and dark roads during the race.

sitting down at the mile-10 aid station. started the race with my Montrail trail shoes and Injinji socks. after completely caking the shoes with mud they were just too heavy and I opted for my Brooks road shoes. made all the difference. i also (again) cursed the Injinji's and threw them away. these socks have never performed for me, and now i'm done with them.

we came up to mile 25 feeling really good - we knew the end was in sight - but we were tired. seeing the evidence of mom's "muddin'" adventure was enough to keep our conversation going for the next six miles. she's truly amazing. got the car stuck, laughed it off and deftly maneuvered out of a pit to the rejoicing of the watching aid station crew. in all my 28 years, this is a top-5 moment on her cool meter.

I'm not sure where this is...late in the game I believe. headlamps were required, as was a reflective vest. i didn't like my vest, so it did not participate. finally got Dad to rock the do-rag.

i just noshed on a cheeseburger and am one Pale Ale into the "recovery" process. i feel great - not sore and just a bit tired. the blessing of running dirt and gravel roads is their forgiveness of joints.

here's a quick breakdown of my mental/physical state during the race...a bunch of folks have asked what parts were the hardest, etc. keep in mind this was an out and back, we made up our extra one mile at the turn-around point. thanks to all who provided encouraging Facebook posts/texts/e-mails/calls. really meant a lot to me.

Mile 1-5
Felt super tired, almost instantly. My body's way of saying, "It's midnight, dumbsh#t. What is this?" Rolling hills, lots of mud.

Mile 5-10
My favorite stretch of the race. Beautiful run near tree lines and on small dirt roads.

Mile 10-15.5
This was hard. We easily felt the extra half mile and the long, straight stretches were mind numbing. This was about 3 a.m. and my head was wandering and i got sleep-tired again.

Mile 15.5-21
After maybe my favorite aid station (mmm, boiled salted potatoes and hip-hop echoing through a barn), we booked it on this stretch. Felt great, but sort of stupid, as we hit the next aid station pretty beat. I got a good second wind here, but felt out of sorts.

Mile 21-25
Nothing sounded good at the last aid station, so I ate a peach and drank some water. this was a great stretch - we got our pace back and put our heads down. was seeing the end in sight and enjoying the upcoming ability to say, "This is the farthest distance I've ever run."

Mile 25-31
It was clear that at this point, we just wanted to finish. We kept up a good conversation, as we had the entire way, but our pace and our speed up hills increased slightly. We battled the mud pit again, which slowed us down and wore us out, but the focus was on the faint light of the Pike Valley High School on the horizon.

a tale of two marathons

the alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. this morning after i'd had only two or three hours of sleep (after celebrating the Kansas victory over North Carolina). an hour later, 12 folks from our usual running group and a few great additions arrived at Kansas City's Boulevard Brewery to embark on a 43 mile relay to Lawrence's Free State Brewery. also in attendance was my mother who for the next nine hours would be supporting my dad with a menu of foods, and Hammer products. here's where the story gets good: dad ran the entire length of the race. by himself.

we'd organized the teams in the hope that some of us could accompany dad on each of the 10 course legs. well, that plan was shot to heck - in a good way - and most of us did multiple legs ensuring that dad was never out on the course alone. big props to the folks running today for such an amazing amount of support.

so that's tale one. dad runs an ultra-marathon for the first time, six minutes under his goal time of 9 hours.

tale two involves yours truly (it's my blog) and starts with my lacking amount of rest and ends with dad busting out an 8:54 ultra after cutting minutes off his final five mile splits, cutting his measured 11-12-minute-mile pace and hitting the last leg hard at 8-9 minutes.

i knew i wanted to finish the race alongside my dad. i also knew i wanted to get in as many legs as possible. all mileage totaled, i ended up running 26 miles today and feel pretty dang good this evening (thank you, Fat Tire). i had no intention of hitting a marathon distance, and even less intention of trying to pace dad in the last leg as he kept knocking up the speed, completely full of juice even after 40 miles of hills, rough gravel and schizophrenic weather.

to say i finished the race exhausted is an understatement matched only by the amount of pride i felt to be able to run more than half of today's race with my dad. this man is a beast in Brooks.

the last leg of this race was one of the best sporting moments in which i've participated. getting my dad to his goal isn't something i take lightly and my nerves were almost as exhausted as my legs as i paced and pushed and in the end, tried to keep up with him to the finish.

moreover, my mom's support of not just my dad, but our entire crew, was astounding. she is the matriarch of our running group and she's so very appreciated.

here are some pictures. i'm sure my dad will post a recap on his blog soon. the day was full, tiring and a real friggin' blast. congrats, dad.

so that's the tale of two marathons. one, my dad's, was a well-trained-for ultra. mine, i'll call accidental, but more enjoyable than any 26 miler i've done to date.

pre-race

the first leg (needed some headlamps)

the scene at each leg station (note Ma Woolard's attire - she was a beacon of sustenance from yards away)

the ultimate soigneur (and Casey waits for scraps)

last leg on the never-ending levee trail
finisher. i don't think he's sweating.

a new blog to follow

turns out it is harder to get my father to blog than it has been to encourage clients. many of us that run with my dad have suggested he journal his training, race experiences and thoughts that go in and out of his head as he logs miles in preparation for marathons and now ultras.

well, he caved. and we sat at a coffee shop in Lawrence this past weekend and went over links, picture uploads and keyword strategies until he sort of nodded like he got it. and got it he did. check out Miles With Mickey to follow his views training, nutrition and life.

psycho wyco winter run

The crew beforehand, still clean. Kevin's either following his heart to my shoulder or his hat's stuck on my CamelBak.

i joined a few of my friends to run the psycho wyco winter trail run on saturday. i ran this last year, and then did the summer version in july. the trail conditions this year surely beat the ice we ran on last year, however, the snow pack, slush and mud mixtures made things interesting.

my goal was to break two hours, which i did, coming in at 1:54. yeah - for a 10 miler! crazy slow. i had an average 11:23-per-mile pace. i thought without the ice i'd be much faster than my 2-hour time last year, but this year's mud and slush slowed me down...as did the hilly course.

another very well-run race by the Trail Nerds...great job guys. they took great care of the runners, providing everything from sports drink to lentil soup to coffee and donuts. that, however, wasnt' enough. we hit up Room 39 after the race for some much-deserved food and much-needed bloody Marys. more than anything, it was great to run this tough race with a good crew of people. here's to a nice cap on the winter racing schedule.

this is the second trail run i've done in my new Montrail Highlanders. i swapped them in for the Vasque Velocity kicks and have been really pleased.

parting inspirational shot


and an actually inspirational shot, via the Soiled Chamois. i love this poster for so many reasons.

Big finish in the Arctic Challenge

what was billed as an "Arctic Challenge" was unseasonably mild, which only dulled the pain of a very tough trail running and mountain biking course. first, big kudos to Patrick and Joel of KC Multisport on a very challenging and well-organized event. it's the first of what i hope is an annual occurrence. really nice job, guys.

the race consisted of two run stages, which were mostly off-road, and one mountain bike stage, which was filled with slick, icy, slushy, muddy trail conditions and many dismounts to hike to checkpoints along the way, or carry/walk the bike through un-ridable conditions.

i teamed up with my buddy kevin, who had stellar orienteering skills and pushed me past a pulled thigh injury i incurred the night before. thanks to some great anti-inflammatory drugs and a good Ace-bandage tape job, i was good to go.

the race was peppered with 17 checkpoint areas, which were marked by an orange kite (small) normally off the trail and into the woods. we relied on a map, instincts, compass and orienteering skills to get from checkpoint to checkpoint.

the first run section was tough, mainly because we hadn't really warmed up and were immediately headed into a hilly route. we came in right behind the leaders at the transition area, feeling pretty good about our positioning going into the bike section. at each transition area, a team-builder was presented. from building a perfect square out of imperfect shapes to a word find to our worst task: balancing and walking as a team on two boards.


hitting the bike section gave my thigh a chance to recover, which felt nice until we got onto the snowy-slushy trail. i've never seen that much mud and crap. it was one of the toughest bike rides i've had.

we moved into the final run knowing we'd broken from a pack of teams and only passed by a couple teams finishing the other way, giving us the momentum we needed and the fantasy of standing on some sort of podium receiving flowers and kisses from pretty girls in cycling jerseys (did not happen, but we got some great chili at the end). we did however have a couple pretty girls cheering for us the whole way, which really helped. it was fun to participate with two other friends, Caroline and Joel, who were part of a very strong coed team (even with Caroline riding on slicks!).


we ended up coming in third in the men's division, which was a pretty sweet finish considering the strength of the competition. many of these folks are in my KC Power Hour spin class and almost all were experienced multi sport athletes. with a number of cuts and caked-on mud covering my legs and pretty well physically spent, we all headed to Barley's to refuel.

Dallas Whiterock Marthon: done

i'm back in sunny Kansas City...err...after a wonderful weekend in Dallas. ran the Whiterock Marathon on Sunday and enjoyed every mile of it...especially the last half, which I gutted out a negative 10 minute split. after what's been about two years of continuous marathon training, i'm happy to reflect in the glow of this race as i lower my weekly mileage and enjoy sleeping in on the weekends for a while. i've dealt with a nagging stomach issue, torn cartailage in my foot, a re-injured Achilles tendon and am well tired of gritting my teeth through training runs. but crossing the line on Sunday, nailing my goal time with 58 tenths of a second to spare (4:10:42), well, it was all worth the pain.

i started out rather conservative due to the injuries i was bringing into the race. but at mile 16 or so, i knew i was having a good day and just let it loose. passed a couple pace groups and then with 2 miles left, passed the 4:15 group and decided 4:10 was attainable. spent the final two miles in a dead sprint. but dang it feels good to be done. i do believe i could have bested my last PR (3:54) yesterday if i'd have cut my mile-by-mile time down on the front end...maybe next time.

(camera 1, camera 2...)

the best part, though, was running with three of my favorite people. my good friend Joel (and Interwoven Threads collaborator) ran his first marathon and did a heckuva job (and got the bug, i think!). it was great to run with him for the majority of the race and be part of his huge accomplishment. my Dad ran an expectedly smooth race (i honestly don't think he broke a sweat). our wonderful family friend Larry not only hosted us in his new home, but he and his wife treated us to the best Texas hospitality we could imagine. he's a really talented runner and even better guy.

(...camera 3, camera 4)

we messed with our layers and technical choices until the very minute we started the race. felt great though in what we all wore. i decided on a Patagonia Capilene 2 base layer with another Cap2 long sleeve over that, then my Brooks water/wind-proof jacket and Brooks Trance 7 shoes. i wore the injinji socks that have become a favorite in-training sock due to their ability to prevent blisters, but was really disappointed in them during the race. they just didn't provide enough stay or cushioning. also very poor wicking ability. i think that was their last race. i was on and off with the jacket the whole way, but having it definitely helped during the rain showers that accompanied the 30-40 degree weather. it was rough...and the north wind hurt.

last year's houston marathon is still my favorite - it's part personal record and part great fun - but this may well be number two. man...just keeps getting better. i needed a vacation and this turned into exactly that. great laughs, wonderful food and drink, even better company and a chance to get my head out of KC. moreover, i needed a successful finish to get the bad taste of the Chicago Marathon out of my mouth. my hat's off to the people of Dallas and the race organizers and volunteers. they had aid stations at EACH MILE, filled with water and Gatorade (Chicago, take note). and i will venture to say the neighborhoods bested Chicago's for enthusiasm and fun (not an easy feat). even in the cold and rain, people were outside holding block parties and front-yard parties. they handed out food and drink (lots of beer!) and cheered consistently. it was a well-run race and a great city to run. thanks to all involved for the experience.

some new news

been quite busy between work and Interwoven Threads and preparing for this weekend's Dallas Whiterock Marathon. here's an update, at the Do Better Blog.

bridging the marketing/Interwoven Threads gap, PSFK posted a nice review of Interwoven on its fashion site. additional media coverage is planned for this month. i'll pass it on!

more soon....

Chicago Marathon organizers: press send.

much of Woolard Speak is devoted to how companies can better communicate with their key constituents. to follow up on yesterday's recap of the Chicago Marathon, i want to highlight a few ways marathon organizers and those involved with the marathon could have cleaned up (heck - maybe even prevented) the pr crisis that's ensued. as of this moment, two full days after the marathon was canceled due to heat, i have not received any communication, or even a follow-up mass e-mail. the internet is booming with comments, quotes and stories told by runners, spectators and volunteers.

so, here are some thoughts...it's simple PR 101.

1) send an e-mail. the marathon organizers were diligent about sending pre-race e-mails to registrants. a simple recap of what happened, why and how it will be fixed next year should have been a) already drafted generically as part of their crisis communications planning and b) sent by now.
2) consider issuing a credit or discount for those who ran this year to be used to register for next year. the marathon is at great risk to have a major decline in participation next year, based on a bad experience this year. a little discount will go a long way in retaining runners and showing some goodwill.
3) encourage sponsors (Sprint, Mountain Valley Spring Water, Gatorade Endurance, Volkswagen, etc.) to take creative communication liberties. i know i'm thinking like a marketer here, but how powerful/relevant/meaningful would it be for Gatorade Endurance (which many are saying ran out, was warm, was not served properly) to send a coupon and a tongue-in-cheek e-mail about hydration. it would be met well by runners.
4) share the marathon's contingency/crisis plan. go public with what was in place to ensure safety and how that might be tweaked next year. that instills confident and addresses obvious questions from the runners and public.
5) bottom line, communicate. somehow. organizers are reaching the point where any e-mail will be too little too late. just do it. the database is in place. press send.

the power of talking...we preach communication and yet often overlook the simple solutions to big problems. humans are a forgiving lot. in this case, we runners get that it was unseasonably hot. but we also know that many things broke and broke severely. we want to hear from the people responsible. sometimes just hearing is all it takes.

my kind of new biz pitch

brilliant. i applaud BooneOakley (and it's freakin' hot website/soundtrack) for its approach and delivery of its pitch to Saucony. i realize the dog and pony that most agencies summon for new biz pitches quickly fades in most cases, but darn it, i'm behind these guys and Saucony should be too. it's a relevant way to prove (seriously, the RAN for this biz) their passion, while implementing the blog to show the agency's ability to tell a story.

Prairie Punisher Duathlon: Finished

sitting here having a protein shake after a heckuva saturday morning. my buddy joel and i (with great coaching/encouragement/photography by Pa Woolard) finished the Prairie Punisher Duathlon (5K, 27.5K Bike, 5K) and had a blast. this is my first official duathlon, though we frequently pair runs and rides during training.


we either looked like teammates or dorks, with our matching Sunflower Outdoor gear and Cannondale roadies. style aside, i beat my goal time by 7 minutes and to my surprise, knocked off the final 5K in about 23 minutes, which is fast for me even if I hadn't already run one, and biked 27K.

Psycho Psummer Rocked...literally.

on saturday i ran the psycho psummer trail run, organized by the KC Trail Nerds. heckuva race Nerds, kudos to the organization, on-route care and well-attended race. i ran the 15 miler, while some ran the 50K. wow! my hat is off to those finishers. 15 on the steep, rocky and scree-filled trails is about double the workout of 15 on road, which gave me a nice confidence boost as i crossed the finish line almost an hour past my road half marathon PR time.

the morning was beautiful, not too hot, and the trails nestled deep in the Wyandotte County Lake Park were shaded the whole way through. i was blessed to have a great cheering section meeting me along the various points where we popped out of the trails to cross the road, and as i learned from the Psycho Wyco winter race, the on-trail support between runners exceeded that of which you'd ever find in road races. the constant camaraderie and pack-support were fun to be part of.

i carried the mandatory water system (CamelBak) as well as a hand held of Hammer Perpetuem mix and a few Hammer Endurolytes. i squeezed down two Hammer Gels during the run, all of which, in sync, had me feeling great the whole way through. also experimented with an increased coffee consumption before the race, which seemed to settle just fine and give me the needed caffeine an perk. recovery meal included Fat Tire and chicken nachos. yum.

i tested new socks yesterday as well. i normally run in Smartwools, but tried the injinji tetrasocks - which worked perfectly...i think i have a new favorite distance-running sock. i have a narrow foot and the injinjis are pretty thin, so i put a pair of Smartwools over them. though the double-up proved to be too much bulk at times, i ended the race with no blisters or even hotspots...and i beat my feet up pretty good.

first quarter of the race...I look so happy.

one of the road crossings...more serious countenance

finish-line nostril shot!

A lazy Sunday and the power of preparation

The Monk dog has a gift for imitating my mood. We both are making good use of the first Sunday in a long time without a long training run. Slept in, made coffee, stood on my back porch while Monk tracked squirrels and I contemplated installing a bird feeder. Then it was back inside to scour Bloglines, my version of the morning paper. When I'm on my computer, Monk's head is normally on my thigh/lap. Much to his annoyance, I moved, which obviously called for a dramatic yawn, a few paces around the office, and now back to his doggy bed, where he's found a rawhide bone.
So, we're enjoying the human/canine version of a lazy Sunday morning. The Houston Marathon is a week away. By this time next Sunday, God and lactic acid willing, I'll be nearing the end of my marathon and Monk will be pacing the kennel at his doggy hotel.

Sitting here with coffee, poached egg whites and a snoring dog, I'm thinking about preparation.

I read a great post from The Final Sprint blog this morning. On Lance Armstrong's preparation and now rough recovery from the great one's New York City Marathon. Titled, "A Classic Case of Too Much, Too Soon?" the post goes through Lance's less-than appropriate marathon training, his successful sub-3:00 finish (punk) and the stress fracture he now has to nurse. I'm a big fan of Lance, but I'm stumped by how such a successful endurance athlete could have ignored one of the biggest tenants of endurance sports: preparation.

Lance's much-publicized training program included a long run of only 13 miles, according to his ex-wife Kirstin, who wrote a great wrap-up in this month's Runner's World (not available online) titled "Oh. My. God. Ouch. Terrible." after Lance's post-finish text message. I require at least four 16-plus mile runs, normally two of those are 20 miles or more, to prepare for a marathon. Even more puzzling is how Lance's training program (assembled, I'm only guessing, by some of the world's best training/medical minds) didn't account for the bone density build-up marathoners must complete to manage the impact stress on the musculoskeletal system. It's almost a beginner's mistake, which really baffles me.

Lance's story is a good example that all of us, in any field or endeavor, must allow for preparation. It's a necessary part of success, but one that, in our rush-rush culture, often is cut short. We seek the action. The moment. The payoff. The "finish." Ignoring the necessary steps, trading details for shortcuts is irresponsible. Irresponsible to your client, your business or your co-workers. What are your professional versions of Lance's stress fracture? What are the goals, big and small, for which you must constantly prepare?

Listening to: Catherine Feeny, Hurricane Glass

If you have to ask why, you'll never find out

(mt. hood, oregon)

Just got back from my morning run and as I brewed some coffee, I paused to hear the latest news from NPR on the missing Mt. Hood climbers. I've been watching this tragic event unfold with interest, as mountaineering and climbing are adventures for which I have great respect.

Morning Edition's Renee Montagne interviewed National Geographic journalist Tim Neville and while talking about the difficulty in winter climbing, asked (I paraphrase): "Why would they (missing climbers) want to do this?" I was dumbfounded. Seriously? Tim responded more politely than I would have, talking about the missing climbers' mountain past experiences and skills.

My response: "Renee, if you have to ask why, you'll never find out."

So which kind of person are you? Do you ask why, or do you ask when.

"Is that Sufjan Stevens?"

This Sunday ranks among the best Sundays ever. For me at least. Here's a rundown.

• 11:00 wake up with Monk sprawled out on a good 3/4 of the bed. Winter is approaching, which means he starts feeling entitled to share the bed. This is not good.
  
• 11:30 Toast, coffee and a protein shake, read various papers online.
• 1:00 Met a group of friends at You Say Tomato. This could easily be my new favorite Kansas City restaurant. YST is one of those businesses you just know will make it. They haven't advertised, but have filled the chairs from extremely positive word of mouth and some well-earned press.
• 3:00 Sat outside and played guitar, then read The History of Love. One of the most well-written books I've ever read. My friend Sara sent this my way on Friday and I've been reading it since.
  
• 5:30 Went to church, which is always great. Tonight I served communion - one of my favorite things to do - and as I found my place up front, our band started playing what I thought was Sufjan Stevens' "To Be Alone With You." I looked up on the screen and yes, it was Sufjan. This is a pretty artsy, musical church, but Sufjan during communion? Then I listened to the words - of a song I'd played numerous times - and realized it was a very non-secular song. It was one of those experiences that seemed perfect.
  
• 8:00 I joined four friends to run a very cold and wet 11 miles. We're getting ready for the Gobbler Grind and this was our peak in preparation for next weekend's half. I love these people and we knocked out a quick 11, filled with a ton of hills, in no time, laughing the entire way.

Excuse the self-absorbed lack-of-a-point post. I guess I'm allotted one every once in a while. It's my blog and all.

Oh - Blogger has a new Beta version up...I'm using it now. Allows for some better templates and labels. It's alright...forces you to log out of Gmail when you're in Blogger though. That's a not-so-well-thought-out process.

Here are the lyrics I spoke of. You really need to hear the song to appreciate the meaning.

Artist: Sufjan Stevens
Album: Seven Swans
Year: 2004
Title: To Be Alone With You


I'd swim across lake Michigan
I'd sell my shoes
I'd give my body to be back again
In the rest of the room

To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you

You gave your body to the lonely
They took your clothes
You gave up a wife and a family
You gave your goals

To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
You went up on a tree

To be alone with me you went up on the tree

I'll never know the man who loved me