Not so long...

I intended to run long today and experiment with fueling. I woke up early. I had two and a half hours, maybe a little more. I headed out the door with great expectations.

My plan when I started out was to run four loops with my house as the starting point for each of them. I did the first 5K loop without any problems. I ran past the evil dog's house without incident. I ran in the ditch to avoid a truck coming around the corner. I jumped out of my skin when I cat spooked in front of me. Stupid cat! I took a pit stop, ate half a banana, filled up my water bottle and went on.

My second lap went as well as the first. No real problems. I know I'm going to have to walk some on my 100-miler this fall, so I walked for a bit on a couple of the uphills. It felt good to relax a bit. I drank some water and downed a GU while the going was slower.

I didn't stop at home between my second and third loops. I just turned from one into the other. During my third loop, my left foot began to hurt. I ignored it and ran on. I walked on School Street's little uphill section, then ran up to Maple and zigzagged my way over to Locust and Stout. I ran south on Stout and decided to take another break at the house.

In the house, I did my business, got a drink, downed the other half of my banana and headed out the door again with my water bottle topped off. When I got outside and started running again, my foot complained loudly. Not wanting to aggravate it and be laid up for weeks on end, I stopped. I'll run long another day. (garmin data)

Quit yer complainin'...

There’s a little verse in Philippians 2 that bothers me every time I read it. In Philippians 2:14, Paul commands believers to “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” (NIV)

The apostle can’t be serious, right? This has to be a mistranslation! But try as you might, you’ll find the same message no matter what translation you use.

The New Living Translation is the same except for the conjunction used: “Do everything without complaining and arguing.”

The English Standard Version has it: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.”

The King James says: “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.”

The Message: “Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed!”

The New American Standard advises: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.”

The Amplified Bible is the worst though: “Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves].”

No wiggle room there. Complaining is sinful because, as the Amplified suggests, it brings into question the character of God.

When you grumble about the weather, you’re saying God doesn’t know what he’s doing. Isn’t he the one in control?

“Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’

“He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’

“Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’” (Matthew 8:24-27)

When you whine about not having anything to wear as you stare at your full closet, you’re dishonoring the God who provided every stitch of clothing you own. Didn’t he promise to feed and clothe you?

“And why do you worry about clothes?” Jesus asked his disciples. “See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:28-33)

When you complain about the kind of people God is bringing into the church – I hope no one is doing that – you question God’s judgment. That’s not smart.

“Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and “sinners”?’

“Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ‘I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’” (Luke 5:29-32)

Complaining makes God out to be incompetent, disinterested, uncaring, evil. Is he any of these things? No! He is good and his love endures forever! He is worthy of worship not whining!

QT and back...

I woke up around 4:00 this morning. I laid around in bed for a long time. I did not go back to sleep. I finally gave up and put my feet on the carpet and got ready to run.

I walked a bit once I got outside just to make sure I was actually awake before I started running in the dark. When I realized it wasn't all a bad dream, I hit the "go" button and sped up to a slow run. I was not overly motivated. I just wanted to cruise.

I ran over to Meridian and headed north. I paid close attention to the sidewalks especially when I was running in shadowy spots. No sense in tripping and hitting the deck two days in a row.

I'm not used to running from Maple, so I was surprised when I got to Central so quickly. It was only about a mile from my starting point. I turned onto it and ran toward Zoo Boulevard. The sidewalks were a bit narrower than I like, but at least I wasn't running in the street.

At Zoo, I turned and headed toward...well...the zoo. I ran on the wide, wide sidewalk all the way to where I ran under I-235. There I cut across the road, dove down through the ditch and picked up the bike path bridge over the flood control waterway. That traversed, I crossed over to the zoo and ran along the shoulder all the way to 21st and Ridge where I ducked into the QT for a pit stop. I talked with a few runners who had done the same before heading back the way I came.

I felt good for most of the return journey. I saw a lot more runners and cyclists out than I had earlier. I greeted them with all with a cheery good morning. Just before I crossed over the flood control ditch again, I heard someone say, "Hi, Mike!" It was a friend who serves in the Air Force. He and a bunch of friends were out for a run. It was great to see Lou if only for a second or two.

I hit the parking lot across from the dorm where we're staying just as my Garmin clicked over to 10.5 miles. I stopped it and walked my way over to the back entrance. I let myself in, woke up my wife and sat down to a big glass (or two or three) of Gatorade. Running is sweaty business when it's 80 degrees out and humid! (garmin data)

Down the street...

After breakfast, my wife went out for a short run. Her Couch to 5K program called for a 25-minute run, so we walked over University Street and headed east. We did our best to stay in the shade since the temperature had risen to about 85 by this time and the sun was doing it's best to kill all living things.

When we got to Seneca, we ran north to Maple, turned west and proceeded to run back toward the Friends University campus running down one block and up the other the whole way. At 25 minutes, we were about a block from where we started and my wife decided to start sprinting toward home. We ended up with almost 26 minutes and just over 2 miles. (garmin data)

Around campus...

I did NOT get up at 4:00 today to go running with Adam! I slept in till 5:30 and ran by myself!

I started out with a short walk before proceeding to run an initial loop around the entire Friends University campus. I stayed mostly on the sidewalks as I ran, but ran short stints on the streets. Some where along the north side of the loop, just off campus, I tripped on a nasty crack in the walkway and dropped to the ground. Thankfully, I had time enough to react and roll and ended up with no more than a little scuff mark on my left hand and a bunch of grass on my back.

When I got back around to my starting point, I ran on and started running this way and that all over campus. I followed most of the sidewalks, running between buildings, up steps occasionally and around benches and flowerbeds. Aside from the high humidity, it was a really enjoyable run. (garmin data)

Running with friends...

I met up with my friend Adam last night. He's the guy I'm running 100 miles with in November. I said, "Are you running in the morning?" Stupid question. Of course, he was. "What time?" I asked. "4:45." Seriously?! Ugh!! We figured out the meeting place and a little later, I talked another friend, Donnie, into running with us.

Donnie and I met at 4:20 and drove to our meet up with Adam and his friend, Andy. Adam, for the first time in years he said, was late. He actually overslept. We were waiting around for the guy who'd told us, "Don't be late! We start on time!"

He got there and we started running around 5:00. The first seven or eight miles felt great. We ran north to the rail trail and took it east to just under six miles before turning around. At the turn around our pace quickened. I still felt good until somewhere after mile eight. Then the bottom fell out. I started burping. I felt like I was going to puke. At mile nine, the rest of the crew decide it's time for a little tempo run and up the pace. I watched Andy and Donnie run away. Adam stayed with me.

When we got to Kellogg, I stopped and walked across the intersections before starting to run again. That actually helped a bit and I ran with more energy. I got to 11 mile, figured I'd had enough, so I stopped my Garmin and walked the last half mile or so back to the cars.

There we said our goodbyes and Donnie and I drove back to the conference center where we're staying. (garmin data)