LOST: Motivation

So running the same 2 tenth of a mile strip of trail back and forth, over and over again has now drained all my motivation to put in any serious miles. All our treadmills are again broken, and I just cant bring myself to use an eliptical.
Lets couple this with I have officially ran a hole through the sole of my NB905's ...yes, I can stick my whole finger through this hole....and legs that dont seem to want to run fast anymore...I just dont know how to get kick started.
What makes the whole thing worse is that this funk couldnt come at a worse time! My training plan for Run Rabbit Run starts this week....total of 48-52 miles... that is 250 trips back and forth on my .2 mile piece of trail. I know this type of tediousness should be building mental toughness, and maybe in part it has, as I have ran 360 miles on this trail so far this year. But I just dont know how much more of it I can take.
The good news is I only have 3 weeks left in this country and I start heading home. back to Colorado; back to Sarah, Miss K and Miss C; back to cold beer and hot tubs; back to the land of chiropractors and massage therapists.
I will dutifully continue to put in the miles and train as hard as I can...but somedays the three year old inside wants to throw an "I DONWANNA" temper tantrum, throw myself on the floor and kick, scream and cry until I fall asleep sucking my thumb.
But One does not simply show up to a 50 mile trail race un prepared...so run I will, because run I must only because soon, when I am home, I want to run amok. Thanks for listening to me rant faithful readers...other than quiet woods and silky singletrack, ya'll are the best listeners.

A Heavy Heart

  The news today about the loss of Caballo struck a weird nerve with me. Never had the loss of a celebrity of any sort affected me, or gave me pause to reflect. But Micah on the other hand, I think touched a sensitive spot in every runner that knew his name. He was the one who ispired us to not be afraid of our dreams; to get out and do what you love every day. That we can do anything we believe in, if we dont listen to those who tell us we can't. That all that matters in life are a few close friends and family, some good food, some dancing and a great run.

I had always felt in my heart that I would meet Caballo, at some race in the middle of nowhere and that running with him would make me understand myself. I know, it is laughable, and it can obviously never happen now...but thanks to BTR, I can carry some of his wisdom with me. Some people run Ultra distances to see what they are made of, some out of fear or conquering it, others for enlightenment; I think Caballo represented the best of all those traits.

So today on my run, which I had planned for 10 miles, I felt a little extra strength and decided to go until I was too tired to run anymore. As I was finishing my 10th mile another runner appeared on the trail a few hundred yards ahead of me...the racer in me knew I had to catch this other runner, pass him, and drop him. I dont know why, it was just a long run day...but for this last mile there was a fire in my belly that brought my 10:30's down to low 8 that I held over the last mile and a half. It only took me a few minutes to catch and drop this new comer, but I didnt let up...not until it felt like my lungs were going to burst on the last climb did I decide to call it a day. I am glad that I remembered how to race and to run....it didnt even feel like work until the end. Easy, Light, Smooth and Fast...just like the man said.

Nothing to Say

I am really just writing right now, to see what comes out.  There really isnt anything specific or important on my mind, other than the need to just put words on the screen.  Maybe this is narcisistic, maybe a touch egocentric, but I really dont care.  If you are reading this, you can probably stop now, as I doubt there will be anything profound in this blog. 

Currently listening to A TON of blues, everything from B.B. King to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes to Elmore James and Hubert Sumlin.  I gotta say, I love listening to the "old school dudes" much more than I like the new guitarists.  Don't get me wrong Joe Bonomassa is amazing, but there is something soul stirring that is in the old stuff. Nothing can compare to B.B. King singing The Thrill is Gone or Albert King's Born Under a Bad Sign.  There is so much soul, and pain and heartache and hope in those original versions that you cant help but feel the music. 

There is just something special about a true bluesman, maybe it's their honesty, no worried about being flashy, not trying to go over the top, just playing what is in their hearts.   It doesnt matter if they are the greatest singer in the world, as long as what they are singing is from the heart. 

I guess that is what really matters in life, it doesnt matter if you are the best so long as whatever you do is always from the heart. 

Maybe this blog had something to say after all. 

Sandblasted

Easy run today....I wish. 

I HATE Wind, Sand, Hills..but I love the trail and I live to run, so ran I did.  6 miles in 30mph winds, dust storm and my hilly trail.  59:50. 

Also did PT with the Afghan Army this morning....that was, Interesting to say the least.  Oh well, we will call it cross training. 

48 days and I am on my way home.

Streak is alive at 9 days.
shoes have 474 miles on them

that is all, you may go back to your mundane monday. 

muah (see what I did there ^^)

The Worship Song Guitar Solo

During my second run today, I was listening to my iPod on shuffle again (I am kind of liking this whole getting surprised by my music thing).  As I was listening to another very eclectic, very strange set-list, songs like Drown Me Slowly by Audioslave were mixing with songs like Spirit Fall by Chris Tomlin....not normally two songs that would go well together (they didnt, at all).  But it got me thinking...

Why doesnt worship music translate to normal listening?  Why is it okay for bands like U2 or Eric Clapton to talk about God and faith and praise on top 40 radio, but guys like Chris Tomlin, Jeremy Camp and Third Day dont get airplay on anything but Christian stations, or if you are like many Christians, Sunday morning only.

And then it hit me.  Not only does U2 seriously rock...but it comes down to guitar solos.  There are not nearly enough guitar solos in Christian music.  As a guitarist, I find this very discomforting.  Now, I know what everyone is going to say, that worship music is about everyone singing along and raising their hands and participating.  But hear me out.  How many times do we have singer "soloists" perform a piece for the congregation that people arent expected to sing along with, but marvel at that performers amazing voice and vocal acrobatics?

 (Pillar playing Like a Deer)

What if that guitarist in the band, who is worshipping just as much as the singer were given the freedom to really let go and do a solo in a song?  Why is that so bad?  Wouldnt he be playing his instrument with skill in worship of God?   Wouldn't it add a demension of dynamics and a moment for thoughtful interlude for the congregation?  Just the random thoughts of a guitarist who happens to lead worship from time to time. 

(Pillar playing Come thou Fount)

Think about it, wouldnt Sunday morning worship be that much more awesome if all the 40-50 year old guys in the congregation were playing air guitar to a kick-ass solo?  You KNOW it would!

 (Pillar playing the Doxology)

     \m/  \m/

Next weeks subject...why is Christian music so sissified?

11 miles today,
had a type-o on the shoe mileage last week...they currently stand at 468 miles, not 568.
7 more planned for tomorrow to make 44 miles for the week. On track for a 120-130 mile month.

The Streak Day 7

Kept the streak alive today, and I figured since it was the 7th day of the streak, I would put in at least 7 miles this morning.  It was a nice, easy relaxed pace, heck...even enjoyable. 

I started at 6:30 ish, with dawn just starting to break and the sun still on the backside of the mountains, and as the morning progressed, along with my steadily increasing pace, the sun rose.  It was a beautiful thing to feel. 

My legs felt strong and comfortable, my stride was smooth and relaxed, my cadence was even over the rough terrain and I held down 9:40's with little effort.  In fact the most remarkable thing about my run today was the ecclectic playlist that I had this morning. 

I just hit Play All: Shuffle, on my iPod and let it go...was I in for a treat.

these are the songs that played, in reverse order.

Souvenirs- Switchfoot
Be the One- Jeremy Camp
Enough- Disturbed
Spirit Fall- Chris Tomlin
The Show Must Go On- Pink Floyd
Zapata's Blood- Rage Against the Machine
Born Again- Newsboys
Mess of Me- Switchfoot
Beneath, Between and Behind- Rush
Satan's Bed- Pearl Jam
Virginia Moon- Foo Fighters
What Life Would Be Like- Big Daddy Weave
Empty Me- Jeremy Camp
Other Side of Things- 311
Layla- Eric Clapton
A Pocketfull of Stones-David Gilmore
Nutsymtom- 311

Yeah, not a playlist I would have picked on my own, but it kept the entire run interesting to say the least.  I will try for another 7 this afternoon, and possibly 8 tomorrow morning.

Ode to Grapefruits

Me: I'm thirsty...
Grapefruit Juice:  You should drink me
Me: But I dont like grapefruit juice...
GJ: But you love grapefruits.
Me: Touche'

opens Grapefruit juice container takes a sip....

Me: I still hate grapefruit juice (drinks whole box).

5 more miles this morning, streak is still alive...