1/11/2015 - 7 years later

 

7 years ago today these words were said on the occasion of my ordination and installation: "Beloved in the Lord, Eddie Cuen, has been called by the Lord of the Church into the Office of the Holy Ministry of the Word and Sacraments. He has been prepared for this ministry by careful study and prayer. He has been examined and declared ready and prepared to undertake this sacred responsibility, and, by the guidance of God the Holy Spirit, he has in the Church's usual order been called to be pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Norwalk."

"Declared ready and prepared..." over the last 7 years I haven't always felt ready and prepared, but somehow God provided. When wisdom escaped me, He brought insight and peace. I am still in awe that God called me and I really want to grow each and every day to be a better pastor. Also, I look pretty scared in that picture.😄 

Back to the Blog

 I was reminded over Christmas about this blog and so I decided I am going to get back on here, more as a personal journal since I doubt anyone is interested in reading my ramblings. 

Here we go....again!

For some time now I have wanted to get back to writing here, but being a pastor and a student required me to do a lot of writing, so I thought it best to take it easy on the writing. I am done with school (for now - more on that in a separate post) so in theory I should have more time to put down some of my musings. Today is my 46th birthday and I have to say that the past few days have been wonderful - and it's not the new USC jersey or the chocolate chip muffie (Yum!) talking! In my old age I have come to realize that there is great joy in the little things - finishing a nice 11 mile run, spending time with your daughter getting stuff done, and having a nice lunch with friends to name a few. I guess it's becoming more and more evident to me what a blessing it is to be able to serve as a pastor and to have such a wonderful life. The work of a pastor is never boring and often includes doing what is needed...such as resealing a leaking roof...but it is always rewarding and joyful to serve God and His people.

Running has also been going very well - there are 49 days left until the LA Marathon and my training is going better than expected, given the rash of rain storms here in LA, that is not only encouraging, but also a bit surprising. The goal for this year is quite simple: finish in less than 5 hours. How do I get there? Consistent running and maybe drop of few lbs.! I had promised my wife that I would not run the LA Marathon this year, but the gravitational pull of running such a wonderful race was more than I could handle and so I signed up and I now prepare to run 26.2 miles through the streets of LA. I can hardly wait!!

There is still much to say, and maybe over the next weeks I will put words to my thoughts, but for now I will call it a night. May God richly bless you and yours! 

LA Marathon 2013 - Part One

People wiser than me have said that a marathon is not conquered the morning of the race...it is conquered in the weeks and months leading up to race day. For me the LA Marathon had all of the signs of being a failure instead of a success. First I got sick...and not just a little cold that keeps you down for a few days...I had bronchitis...so from January 23 to February 23 I logged a total of 0 miles...big fat goose egg!! Instead of taking a rest week like most marathon training plans suggest, I was running 19.5 miles the weekend before the race..the first 18 miles were really good...but then about 1 ½ miles from home my foot started to really hurt...up to that point my run had been really good, so I just kept trucking on...I can run 1 ½ miles with a sore foot ram through my head over and over. Then next day it got worse...I was hobbling from the pain...in my semi-expert medical opinion I had plantar fasciitis...the pain was so intense I dared to ask that question no marathoner ever wants to ask - what if I really can’t run the LA Marathon? I decided that I would take it easy until the marathon...I ran on Wednesday and it hurt...the outlook was bleak. The day before the race I took a short leisurely run and experienced little pain...YEAH!! I was ready...or so I thought.

The alarm sounded and I bolted out of bed...since I had to be at the finish line to catch my 3:30am shuttle to the start line I was awake at a crazy hour. I dressed and walked out the door still feeling a little concerned about my foot. I walked as little as possible but in the hours leading up to the race the pain in my foot got worse and so I went through a cycle of trying to sleep, massaging my foot, tying my shoes at varying tightness and taking short walks to the restroom...in pain. Finally about 2 hours before the race I decided that I would stop the craziness and try to sleep as much as possible and completely ignore my foot...I also accepted that I would drop out if I needed to, but I would go as far as I could. I dreamt about being on a bus with sweaty and stinky runners that had dropped out of the race...and I was suddenly wide awake. The small crowd of runners in the bleachers in Dodger stadium around me had grown exponentially. I sat for a little while and tried to take in all of the sights and sounds...then I got up, turned in my bag and decided to go to the restroom one last time. Even the restroom line was an adventure..there was a group of Students Run LA in front and to the side of me in the restroom lines and they were stretching as they waited. The girl who was leading was like a drill sergeant...I almost felt guilty for not stretching with them. These kids had worked hard in the months leading up to the race and even minutes before they hit the street, they were doing everything they could to ensure they had a successful race - even if it meant shuffling forward in their restroom line as the simultaneously tried to stretch their hamstring. As I walked to the start line, with chatter ever where, the announcer talking non-stop, I said a little prayer, “You take care of the foot; I’ll take care of the running.” And that was it...in short order we were off into the streets of LA. I had never given myself permission before the race started to drop out; I felt that I would surely fail if I went into a race thinking dropping out was an option....but the reality was that there was no way I could run 26.2 miles with the pain I had felt in the hours leading up to the run...or could I?  

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth!!

So, yes it has been a while since I posted last, and I will try to give a running life update soon, but this post is more of a Christian life update.

I e-mailed a good friend today to share with him that I had been feeling kind of distant from God lately. I was feeling like prayer and devotion was more of a chore than a pleasant time with God. He suggested I prayer during a run...running and prayer...both excellent suggestions!

I started my run at a really fast pace (well "really fast" is a relative term; compared to my 10min/mile, 8:36 per mile is down right super sonic)...it was difficult, but not impossible. My mind realized that I could not maintain the pace for 5 miles, but my body ignored that reality. Despite the euphoria, or maybe because of it, I forgot to pray. As I was waiting at a red light I heard a faint voice, "I am with you" The second mile was slower, but still fast for me...all along the chorus of "I am with you," continued, and seem to increase with frequency. Then I came upon a crossroad; figuratively and literally. If I turned right I would cut 2 miles off of the 5 mile run I had planned, but I would have an amazing run pace. I chose to continue on the original route. It got increasingly difficult. There were several points I wished there were more red lights and then I realized, the "I am with you" chorus was gone. I labored on for a while and then turned to prayer;  the pace got a little easier...I wasn't really going faster, but I wasn't "chasing" an impossible pace either. Then all of a sudden, "I'm still here!"

In my conversation with God He made me realize that He was with me through out my run, just as He is with me through out my life...just because I feel that He is silent doesn't mean that He has left me alone to battle the difficult miles. It is in those miles where I need to turn to Him the most and in those miles I will learn and grow so much as a runner and as a person. So, yes, seminary is hard; balancing family, work, studying, running, sermon writing and a Laker game (everyone once in a while) is hard, but these difficult time will only serve to make me a better pastor...by helping me to realize that God is always there.

So, for now, my theme song is "Praise you in the storm" by Casting Crowns (minus the parts that talk about crying...guys don't cry, it's just our awesome leaking out!) knowing that God uses the storm waters to feed His plants and trees.

Hey, maybe I shouldn't post this...this might make a good sermon one day! 



Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”           Joshua 1:9
 

Los Angeles 13.1 - 2013 Race Review

So it has been exceptionally cold...for LA standards. The morning of the LA 13.1 half marathon the low was supposed to be 34 degrees. The day before I laid out clothes - pants, long sleeve undershirt, long sleeve shirt, thick socks, gloves, a hat I could throw away, and a trash bag. The plan was to wear the trash bag over my clothes until right before the start and then dump the hat as my head got warm. I arrived at the start way too early, so I reclined my seat and tried to take a nap...as the cold seeped into my car I would turn the heater on and then after a few minutes of the car off, I would be freezing again, so this was just not working. I decided it was time to head to the starting line and wait there instead. Maybe the race organizers had brought portable heaters...nope, as I got to the starting line, all I found were lines to the port-a-potties and shivering, shacking runners. I stayed close to a news van that was emitting a great deal of heat and then headed for the port-a-potties...It was almost warm in there, but the smell was none to pleasant...little did I know this was an omen of things to come. Most runners seemed to be huddled closer than usual at the starting line and I ended up close to the 2:15 pacer. As the race started I kept up with the 2:15 pacer and decided I would try to maintain that pace as long as possible. As we were running through Venice Beach, a homeless man turned to his friend and said, "man! These folks wanna die young!" Interesting that a homeless man had his own opinion of long distance running. We got to the 5 mile mark and the 2:15 pacer was just out of sight, but I thought that I couldn't be too far behind him...and then it hit me!! OH!! THE STENCH!!! Little did I know that the course would take us past a sewage treatment plant...and I guess business was good! At about mile 7, the 2:15 pacer long gone, I was now fairly certain that I would beat 2:30...but by how much?? As I got close to the end of the race two guys kept speeding past me and then walking...we went back and forth for about a mile and a half before the realized that they were basically keeping pace with a 41 year old. As the last mile approached I committed to finish with them, while maintaining a steady pace. They would dart in front of me, and then one would walk which encouraged the other to stop...their walks got longer which was good because my pace was slowing. At mile 13 the started walking again...mile 13!!! 0.1094 miles left and they decide to walk...so I shouted at them..."hey, don't let the old guy beat you!" and BOOM! They took off!! If they ever make a movie of my life I think the director will have me beating those two guys by inches...but in reality...they left me in the dust! But no matter...I got my PR! 2:21:32 was my official time...almost 20 minutes faster than my fastest half marathon. Next on the horizon is the LA Marathon, but before I can run from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica Pier, I get to log tons of miles. 

PR!!!! PR!!!! PR!!!!

In 2 hours 21 minutes and 32 seconds I ran the Los Angeles 13.1 half marathon...a personal record!! Not just a PR, but a I totally crushed my previous best by almost 20 minutes!!!As the official test race for the LA Marathon, this was better than I could have imagined...but it started the questions flowing...
--If I could cut 20 minutes off of my half marathon time could I cut 30-40 minutes off of my marathon time?
--My training runs haven't really shown this huge increase, so where did this come from?
--For the first time ever I ran with a pacer (the 2:15 pacer) for part of the race, was this the reason for my improved time?
--For most races I have tried to run negative splits (increased pace in each progressive mile) in all of my previous races, but since I ran with a 2:15 pacer for the first 6 miles, should I scrap that?

So many questions...there will be plenty of time to contemplate them later...but for now I'll just take some time to enjoy my new personal record!! 2:21:32!!! Whooo-hoooo!!!!

Yard sale!!

Running is fun! That's what they tell me anyway!! Sometimes it's more fun than others. It has been SUPER cold lately...well super cold for California standards...so it has been really hard to get out of bed. This morning my bed was exceptionally warm, so it was exceptionally difficult to get out of bed. I finally got on the road about 1/2 an hour after I had intended. Then about 1/2 a mile into my run flop!! I was sprawled out like a yard sale. I was tempted to turn around and go home, but then decided to finish off the run. It got me to thinking...how dedicated of a runner am I? It's a hard question to ponder, but one that seems to come up once in a while. I really think marathon running is partly mental...so I am a dedicated runner...I am!! And I have the scars to prove it!

History of Shoes

Right to left:
Nike Zoom Vomero 3 - 500+ miles (super fit, "Squishy" bouncy feel)
Nike Zoon Vomero 5 - 400+ miles (a tad too long, same feel as the Vomero 3's, but the fit made them second fiddle)
Saucony  Triumph 9 - 78.2 miles (Fit like a glove, no bounce, but still a soft landing)
Brooks Glycerin 10 - 5.0 miles (Nice fit, feels like there is a spring in the heel)


It's funny the things that make you feel a little nostalgic. I picked up a new pair of running shoes and I figured it was time to officially retire my first pair; It's safe to say that 500 miles was enough, but I had to take one last picture. There are nearly 1,000 miles represented in those shoes; some of those miles have been fun, some have been a lot of work...but every one was totally worth it!! As New Years approaches I wonder what God has in store for me for 2013...I hope it includes lots of miles...and maybe another pair of shoes. To quote the great philosopher Forrest Gump - "You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes." 

Four Forty Two

442...four-forty-two! That is my mile count right now for this year!! That would be approximately 700,000 steps...and would take me from Flagstaff, AZ to Disneyland...not bad for an old chubby guy. So as we look to 2013 (assuming the Mayans are wrong and we live past 12/21/12) what should I shoot for next year? 500...600...or a nice round 750?? All of those seem doable...750 breaks down to less than 16 miles a week...that's not too bad...so do I go for 1,000 miles in a year?? That might be a stretch...21 miles a week is a big commitment. I guess I have a few more days to ponder my running goal for next year. The only running goal I set for this year I accomplished in March - to run a marathon - which might be an indication of why I had 8 total miles in the month of April, so a year long goal might be a good idea. Any thoughts?



As more details emerge from the tragic events of Friday in Newtown Connecticut we continue to offer our prayers for those who lost loved ones in that horrific event. We realize that we should turn to our heavenly Father in these times and pour out our sorrow, confusion and even anger on Him and allow Him to comfort and guide us.

Eddie got run over by a Ford....almost!!

96 days left until the LA Marathon....you know what that means...pass the eggnog...I'll train later!! I decided, this morning as I skipped my morning run, that I really need to start training for the marathon...so of course instead of jumping up, throwing on running clothes and sprinting out of my house for a quick 2 miles before work, I leaned over and picked up the running magazine that was on the floor next to my bed. All day I felt like a slacker...I really should have gotten up...I really should have run....but noooooo! I chose the comfort of my nice warm bed. As the work day was coming to an end I had made up my mind that I would go for a 5 mile run....no...no...6 miles!! I need to tack on at least one guilt mile!! My ankle has had good days and bad days...I spent most of Saturday and about half of Sunday standing, so my ankle has been a little sore today, so the logical solution is of course to rest...maybe go for a bike ride instead of a run....nope...not me! I plan a 6 mile run. And then I even failed to wrap my ankle as a preventative measure before my run, so I will be icing my ankle for the rest of the evening. Things were going well for the first mile and a half and then I got to the City of Downey. I never realized that the City of Downey was so adamantly opposed to sidewalks...and street lights. I realize that we are very spoiled in the LA area with the abundance of sidewalks, but it was surprising to find so few sidewalks in such an affluent area. Oh well...all the weaving and dodging just made the miles go by faster. I was near the 5 mile mark when I saw a bright lime green car (Ford calls it a Fiesta sedan in lime squeeze) approaching at a high rate of speed. The driver was slowing, but my quick mathematical calculations determined that she would not slow down in time to avoid hitting me...so I adjusted my pace until I was certain I would allow her to pass in front of me...then she swerved...RIGHT AT ME! UGH!!! Certainly she sees me...certainly she will stop....certainly....ouch...she hit me! Nothing major...just a little tap on the legs, but with enough force to make my upper body lung forward so now my hands were resting on the middle of her hood. Ok..ok...no harm no foul...but I realized that it was way to close for comfort and I also realized that I had zero identification on me. Had this been worse I would have been in the hospital without a name...and being in the hospital without a name is worse than being in the hospital with one of those gowns that has no back...yep...it's that bad. I usually run with my Road ID (go to roadid.com to check them out...they're great!), but today I just could not find it, so I left for my run with only a house key in my pocket...yep...never doing that again!
Despite the fact that I almost landed in the hospital (that might me a slight exaggeration) I feel like today is the real beginning of marathon training season...yeah...there is a whole season of marathon training! I'm really looking to improve my time from last year...which for most people wouldn't be too hard since it was a pedestrian 6:27:03 (Sorry Paul Ryan, if you run a marathon, you remember your time, even a time as slow as mine!), but for me, I was just happy to finish, and today's run was just one of many runs that will be the foundation for the 26.2 miles I run in March. Running a marathon isn't accomplished the day of the race...it is accomplished in the hundreds of miles training for the race...those 26.2 miles are just a victory lap....a very LONG victory lap!

On another note, seminary is going well...first quarter is done and so I only have 15 quarters to go! Yeah! Home stretch!! I am learning a great deal and have also realized that, just like a marathon, there are going to be high points and low points, but the goal is to keep a steady even pace...so I my average study pace is 10-15 hours of studying a week. This has really cut into...well, everything, so I am really trying to find a balance between work, family, and school...but for now I am taking it one week at a time and looking forward to Christmas break. God will provide!!

So, if it hurts to run, you should stop??

The dangers of running are certainly documented in newspapers, on the internet, etc. There are distracted drivers, large vehicles, dogs, and even a coyote, but nothing so far has sidelined me like a 2 inch gap in the concrete. I was walking my dog and she decided that the pace was too slow so we took off...it was great...her little legs pushed her faster than a dog that small should run...wind flowing through her hair, and pure joy on her face. But then it went bad...horribly bad! The pain was instant and intense as my foot turned in ways God never intended a foot to turn.Instantly I knew my mileage would decrease...little did I know how much!
I had no idea what a road block it would put in my training schedule. The plan was perfect. October 28th would mark the beginning of the real training for the LA Marathon 2013. The Rock n Roll half marathon would serve as a gauge for my fitness level. I was hoping to shave 20 minutes off of my best half marathon time, but realistically I was looking at shaving off 5 to 10 minutes. Still not shabby, right? Then I would use that as my base to train up for the LA 13.1 half marathon in January. Again, shooting to shave off another 10 minutes. By the time the LA Marathon rolled around I would be primed to shave off 30 minutes from my marathon time. Well, as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.
I did restrain myself from running for about a week...then again the dog wanted to run...so we ran a block. And it felt really good! Yet I was cautious...with only a week to go before the Rock n Roll half, this was no time to get brave. I rode my bike, but that did not seem to provide the sweet equity I was looking for. Then the Thursday before the Rock n Roll half I went for another walk with the dog. This one did not feel so good...in fact it felt pretty bad. Then the debate started in my head. Like to candidates stuck in an unending election cycle, my conservative side said I should give up hope of running 13 miles and my liberal side said I would be fine, just go ahead and run. After much consideration, and A LOT of ice on my ankle, I decided to run the Rock n Roll half marathon.
I started off great. I was well ahead of my goal pace and still feeling full of energy. I ran around the Coliseum lamenting the loss USC had to Arizona the night before, and yet I still found myself keeping a pretty steady pace, but as I was passing Felix Chevrolet a tindge of pain started to creep down into my foot and ankle. Oh well, only 8 miles to go...By the end I could hardly even walk, but I had come so far, that I could not stop. I hobbled across the finish line and I was quickly asked if I was ok. Soon there was a wheelchair and I was off to the medic. Certainly the most humiliating way to finish a half marathon.
So, now what? I guess it is true...if it hurts to run, you should stop...for a while at least, because the opposite is also true...it hurts not to run!

Here we go!!!

Sometimes the future seems to creep up on you and bight you on the backside. I downloaded the application to seminary last October...filled it out in December and sent in my application in January. The reality of seminary seemed so far into the future. Along the way there were a few hiccups. None major, but sometimes I wondered if God would put such a large hurdle in the path to seminary that I would not go...or that my entry into seminary would be delayed. But as each hurdle came, God found a way to get me over it. And, so it went, before I knew it I had plane tickets to St. Louis...then a hotel room, then the seminary admissions office e-mailed me my class schedule and last week I received an e-mail with my book list...this is starting to get real!!! All this while my daughter enters her last days at home before heading off to college...boy, things are going to be different around our house pretty soon! I know there will be more hurdles over the next few years and so I know I will have to rely even more on God to get me over those hurdles, yet I am confident I am following the path He wants me on...so Concordia Seminary, here I come!

Mid-summer dream

It's been so long since I posted...where should I begin...in no particular order:

--Family - my daughter has graduated from high school and will be attending Concordia University, Irvine in the fall...if you consider August to be "in the fall." The family has been decked out in Concordia sweatshirts and other accoutrements, so we are prepared!! Except for the fact that she will be leaving us...the closer it gets the more we realize what a HUGE change this will be...HUGE!!

--Seminary - I have been studying my brains out (is that possible??) trying to pass my Seminary ELCEs - Entry Level Competency Exams. (For the HP fan think OWLs...but without a wand!). 3 tests on Christian Doctrine, Old Testament, and New Testament. Christian doctrine is done...passed! New Testament I missed by 2 points...and Old Testament I did really bad. You get 3 chances...so my focus has been on Old Testament and today was going to be the day...except for some reason the website says I can't take the Old Testament or New Testament tests again...ugh!! And I was all psyched up and crammed for it!! Now I have to call on Monday to get the admissions office to fix the program so it will let me take the test again...and that means, since I have to pass it before 8/1/12 I have to take it this week...during the week...after work...with a fried brain!! Everything else for seminary seems to be going along ok.

--Running - This has been a real bright spot lately. I have lost 14 pounds in about 1 1/2 months which has really helped my running. That and I took a couch's advise and started doing some sprints...thanks Coach Mike! It seems like ever time I go out I set a new personal best for that days distance...which is a real boost and incentive to go out and run again the next day! I have signed up for 2 races (Rock n Roll LA in October and 13.1 LA in January) in anticipation of signing up for the LA Marathon again...really...26.2 miles...again!?!?! I must be dehydrated! But it seems that the second half of this year is going to bring about lots of changes with me starting seminary and my daughter starting college, so maybe I am using running as my "constant" through these changes...I don't know.

And as we deal with the tragic news of the horrific events in Colorado I encourage you to make a conscious effort to tell the people in your live how much they mean to you. You never know how much time you have with them. My prayers go out to those that lost loved ones, to the family of this young man, and to the young man himself...may they all find comfort, forgiveness and understanding through Christ.

Now what???

Sometimes we need a little crazy in our life...my life is probably a few weeks (or days) away from "crazy status." I am volunteering at a retreat in July, so I have 4 weeks of training...during which my daughter will be graduating high school...and then shortly after she will start college and I will begin seminary. So, you know what that means...I should probably add more things to make it that much more interesting! The question is what do I want to add to my schedule? The choices are pretty straight forward:
--Cypress 5k/10k - 7/28/12...I have been doing sprints, so a good 5k might be a good test to see how much my speed has improved. One small problem...it's close to my wife's birthday...sooooo will she be willing to let me run it?
--San Francisco Marathon - 7/29/12...this race is rife with problems...it's far, both from home and race distance. Can I get back up to marathon distance in such a short time? And of course my wife has to be willing to go to San Fran for her birthday.
--Disneyland Half Marathon - 9/2/12...I would love to do this race, but it's sold out, so unless I find someone that will sell me their race number, I will not be running this race.
--Rosarito-Ensenada 50 Mile Bike Ride - 9/29/12...I have been riding my bike a lot more...but enough to make it up the huge hill on this course?
--Long Beach Marathon - 10/7/12...I will probably be registered for something in this event...bike ride is fun...the half marathon and I have some unfinished business, or am I crazy enough to run the marathon distance?
--Rock n Roll Half Marathon Los Angeles - 10/28/12...they have really cool medals...and since it is right before Halloween, I can wear a costume...I wonder how heavy a Wile E. Coyote costume would be...
--Rock n Roll Vegas Marathon - 12/2/12...a mini vacation to Vegas...and a half marathon...what's not to like??
--Los Angeles 13.1 - 1/13/13...this was my first half marathon and would be a good race to set a personal record...plus it is the official warm-up race to the LA marathon...which means...
--Los Angeles Marathon - 3/17/12...they say that you get addicted to running marathons...as soon as you forget the pain you were in...

So there they are...a few of the options to keep me busy for a while...any thoughts/advise would be appreciated...

LA Marathon - Part 2

It has been difficult writing about the marathon...it's not a lack of material, to the contrary, it is an over abundance of amazing sights and feelings. Cheer alley that was so loud I could not hear the song playing on my iPod; passing a guy dressed as Jesus on Rodeo drive - 2 songs after "Jesus lead on" played, my friends Marty and Elaine at mile 18...I almost ran past them, and I don't think I said anything because I was already soooo tired- it was so nice to see them. And of course my pit crew at mile 15, who got me going again in little over 2 minutes-love my girls for all their support and sacrifice. Way too much for one blog post!
It may be cliche, but life is marathon, not a sprint. And after conquering the streets of LA in 6 hours and 27 minutes I feel like life holds no challenge I cannot overcome-with the help of God of course. Pain came and went, but at the mile 20 water stop my body decided my marathon was over...I was at a complete stop...not a single muscle was moving..,the first time i had been at rest in hours...and it felt GOOD! The majestical scene was broken when a lady ask me if I was ok..."sure" I said...and I continued on my trek to Santa Monica. I don't think I was really ready to continue, but I also didn't want her calling the medics. So I pressed on, but the question loomed...would I've really quit? Would I have really just stopped after months of training? Given in to my desire to stop the pain? These questions have haunted me since I crossed that finish line, but I honestly think I would have kept going...my marathon was not won that day, it was won in the miles I traveled through Santa Fe Springs, Whittier, La Mirada, Norwalk, Downey, Bellflower, and Long Beach in the months leading up to March 18th.
Indeed, the fact remains...life is a marathon, and for me the miles ahead hold the graduation of my daughter from high school, her first day at Concordia University Irvine and my first day of seminary one week later. Yes, there are still difficult times ahead for me, but I will overcome - I know where my strength comes from! So if you see someone at their mile 20, go ahead, ask them if they are ok...they might say that they are fine when it is obvious they are not, but you might be that voice that helps them keep moving.
Was that a blog post or a sermon? Maybe it was both. God bless!

LA Marathon - Part 1

On paper a marathon is nothing more than a person traveling 26.2 miles on their own feet. Nothing spectacular until you start looking deeper into how this affects the body and you look at the reality of how few people ever attempt this distance. A US study showed that 1 in 126,626 runners die from sudden cardiac arrest while running a marathon. Die...in a marathon...that seems to me to be a major effect on your body. This means marathons are more dangerous than playing football, scuba diving or even rock climbing. So it stands to reason that a small percentage of the population actually attempt a marathon. In 2011 approx. 518,000 runners finished a marathon in the US - out of a population of over 311 million. And while the exact number is nearly impossible to calculate somewhere between .1%-2% of the world's population has EVER run a marathon. I sure am glad I didn't research that data BEFORE I set off to run the LA Marathon - ignorance is bliss.

The days before the marathon I would obsessively check the weather report. 30% chance of rain, became 40%, which eventually topped out at 80%...wonderful, my first marathon and it's going to rain in LA! It took a few days, but soon I relented and began the planning process for a wet run. Trash bag vs. poncho. do I change shoes at mile 15? change shirts? Which shorts will keep the chafing to a minimum? So many questions to answer and only one run in the rain to use as a gauge. By the time I went to bed the night before the marathon it was almost certain that there would be either minimal or no rain, so the worrying was for not...at least it kept my mind off the marathon.

Everything was planned, prepared and packed as best I could...my wife was even armed with a race day packet that contained directions to drop me off at the start, directions to mile 15, and to the finish line...with full color maps and alternate routes. The traffic to the start was horrendous...are we surprised that LA traffic was bad?? So, I arrived at the start line about 15 minutes before the start...in a way it was perfect, no time to get nervous, no time to get cold...but almost no time to properly tie my shoes. The national anthem was great, the horn sounded for the elite women and the 13 minute countdown until we started was on. We shuffled forward trying to avoid puddles and discarded items as we went and before long I was under the start banner...iPod started and I was off on my adventure.

I knew that there would be people along the road cheering, but I never realized how many and how enthusiastic and generous they would be. The first few miles were mostly downhill which made them seem to pass effortlessly. At about mile 4 the biggest hill loomed ahead. I planned on walking the hill...I was feeling good and I wanted to run it, but I convinced myself to stick to the game plan.

Around mile 5 I came in full contact with the generosity and awesomeness of the people of LA. I have run half marathons in Culver City, Anaheim, Long Beach, and the OC, but I was not prepared for what was ahead of me. First it was one simple sign on cardboard..."Free Chili Dogs"...then another sign..."Free Homemade Chili Dogs"...then a third sign "Free Chili Dogs. Runners Only!" And then...there he was...a guy standing on the side of the road, small Weber grill in front of him, tongs in hand, and chili peculating on the side. If you overlook the fact that a chili dog at mile 5 of a marathon is digestive suicide, this was an amazing sight! This took planning! This guy felt he needed to help the people running the marathon and so he thought feeding them would help.....but what does he feed them??? Pretzels???...nah, not substantial enough...bananas???...nah, too slimy...Gummi Bears???...nah, too sticky....nope he decided that the best thing to feed marathoners running past him would be chili dogs...as I was passing this scene I couldn't help but chuckle as I noticed a young runner grabbing a chili dog...I looked to the guy running next to me and said, "that's not going to end well!" He responded, "Let's stay ahead of him." Good plan...and so I kept up the pace...

I was feeling good...probably better than I expected, but I knew the pain was waiting for me somewhere ahead...the only question was where...

Captain Obvious works for a fortune cookie company

No, of course I can't sleep! In 6 1/2 hours I will wake up to "marathon morning" but instead of getting super loaded on rest my body has decided it wants to stay awake...wide awake. Tonight I had Chinese to carbo load...after my belly was full of rice and orange chicken, I open the always insightful fortune cookie..."important events are in your future." Wow! Didn't see that one coming!
Tomorrow is going to hurt...there is really no way around it. Some have said that I can stop if it gets too hard, but I can't get on that bus...it is finish at all cost...any other attitude will certainly lead to failure. I am confident I will travel 26.2 miles tomorrow...it may take forever, but I will finish this race!
So, yes, tomorrow is an important event, but there is another huge event on the horizon..,in August I start on the road to becoming a pastor. That is really an important event! Does God really want me to be a pastor? I really think He does, so I'm taking that huge leap...I just wonder if God will put up mile markers for me.
Ok, I'm getting tired (as is probably obvious by the rambling) so good night Los Angeles...I will see you tomorrow!

Bridge over troubled waters

God never promises smooth sailing…He doesn’t say, “come and follow me, and I will make your life easy like macaroni and cheese.” Nope, not even on long runs. 22 miles is what I had before me Saturday morning (21.89 for you legalistic types)…the alarm was set for 5:30am for a 7am departure…½ hour snooze, ½ hour stretching and dressing, another ½ hour of procrastinating and I would be off! When I hit start on my iPod at 7:15 am it was already sunny out…like it was going to get pretty warm in So. Cal. I have started listening to music only on long runs, so actually made me go a little faster when “Groove I in the heart” came on…of course it was only the first mile, but I was feeling pretty good. Having suffered a few minor stomach issues on recent long runs I decided to start with water and mix in Gatorade as needed…this seemed logical until it became apparent that water travels through the system much faster than Gatorade…about mile 4 there was a nice big park, but after a few minutes of exploring, I realized that the nice people of Bellflower keep their park restrooms clean by keeping them closed on Saturday mornings…no worries…another restroom would come along soon...soon, right? 5 miles later in Lakewood I came across a park with an open restroom…just in time! Refilled the water bottle with lukewarm metallic tasting water and I was off again…I still felt good, the Shot Rox I was trying for the first time (yes, this will come back to haunt me!) were very tasty and the new knee brace seemed to be working well, despite the fact that I needed to tighten it every 2-3 miles…was my leg getting thinner??

About mile 11 it all turn bad…I suddenly realized that it was really pretty warm…and I had 2 sips of water left…but I’m on Carson blvd in the middle of Long Beach...not exactly the Sub-Saharan desert…surely there will be somewhere to buy a Gatorade…Smart & Final…nah, it will take too long…CVS, nope…too long…then came the critical error…I thought…yep, I thought there was a gas station at Carson and Palo Verde just as I would make my turn northward…that would be Carson and Los Cayotes Diagonal!!! So, now I started to panic…maybe I should knock on someone’s door and ask them if I can get some water from their water hose…would anyone find me as I tried to crawl over the next sand dune? Sooooo thirsty….water…Then there it was, like an oasis…a beacon of hope! 7-11!!! Interesting people at 7-11, but that’s a story for another day. Peanuts and Gatorade in hand I was off again. Then it hit me…a little at first, but strong every step I took…I was REALLY thirsty!!! I drank the last of the Gatorade around mile 17 knowing there was a CVS about ½ mile up the road…there I bought a water…again, super thirsty I guzzled 1/3 of it down. Next water stop was about mile 19…this time a Walgreens…and of course all of this water made me desperate for a restroom again…about that time my stomach started to rebel…it really wanted the run to be over, and boy so did I! It took longer than I had expected…much longer than I had wanted, but it was over. My last long run before the LA Marathon was in the books! I did end up “losing my lunch” about an hour after the run, so those Shot Rox will not be going to LA with me!

Am I ready to run 26.2 miles? I don’t know…22 is almost 26…I just worry about how long it will take me…will there even be a finish line when I finish??

After my run I found out a dear friend of mine had died a few days before. He had a heart attack alone at home and a neighbor found him 2 days later. I had 2 sermons rumbling in my head for that next day and as I stood in that church I realized that I needed to share my friends death with those their…to remind them how fragile life is and how quickly it can come to an end…and that we don’t need to despair in death…that the sin that separates us from God has been conquered…that Jesus took the sins of everyone, believer, non-believer, young, old, rich, poor…everyone and died for those sins upon a cross. And so I share those truths with you today. I miss you Nate.

Puffy Stray Cats

Smells are a part of running in LA...there is heavenly hamburger intersection - Carmenita and Telegraph - where the smells from Five Guys, In n Out and a hint of Jack in the Box mix to make a scent guys would pay $1000 for...forget about Channel #5...Burger#1!!! There are also the mom-n-pop Mexican restaurants that provide an irresistible enticement to skip the run and go straight for a chorizo burrito...and yes, there are often unpleasant smells, cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and way too many dog poop piles.
----Side bar - my dear dog owning friends...is it really that hard to pick after Fido? There is actually a fantastic new way of pick up your puppies digested delights, it's called a PLASTIC BAG!!----
My run this weekend took me along Leffingwell and as I passed La Mirada I was feeling pretty good. Having traveled over 5 miles, successfully taken my life into my own hands by crossing yet another busy intersection, and noticing the down hill ahead I was a happy camper....and then the smell. Subtle at first, but soon it became so strong that even mouth breathing couldn't stop the nauseating smell from entering my nostrils. I looked away briefly and then BAM!! Puffy stray cat!! The cat looked like it had been sucking on helium…fully intact, no sign of trauma (except the obvious fact that he was dead) paws up and disturbingly frightening. Words escape me to accurately describe the morbid scene, but trust me…it was pretty gross!

Proper path planning prevents a pessimistic persuasion - the 1 mile stretch of Colima between Whittier blvd and Mar Vista look simple enough on mapmyrun.com...there are no big red arrows or flashing signs saying "BEWARE!!" but there should be! Go ahead and laugh at me because I a) didn't remember how far Mar Vista is from Whittier (it's like a block, right?) or b) that I failed to realize it would feel so incredibly steep (7%)...ok, 7% may not be pike's peak steep (say that 10 times fast) but in the middle of a 16 mile run, 7% is a huge momentum killer. The turn onto Mar Vista was a brief moment of bliss…down hill as far as the eye could see, with my bad vision, that’s not very far, but it was a great sight none the less. Blister maintenance about halfway down helped me gain confidence in my ability to finish a marathon for a little while…because 16 miles is JUST LIKE 26.2!! Towards the end of the run, my optimism and bliss had washed away completely…after suffering from an upset stomach from mile 10 on (note to self – Fig Newtons are NOT a good running snack!), and having to stop for another Gatorade about 2 miles before the end, I kept feeling like I could have done better. My goal was to finish the 16 miles without dying…no real time goal, but after hours of mathematics while running, I had a “must finish by” time which came and went, draining any energy I had left. Late start, stomach issues, blisters, running up hill for a mile straight, chaffing and less than stellar liquid management made for a rough training run, but it might be exactly what I needed to prepare for March 18th…or additional evidence that I should have gotten a chorizo burrito at mile 2 and headed home.
I still don’t know if I can definitely finish the LA Marathon, but 16 is almost 18 and 18 is almost 20, so I am confident I can finish my last 2 long training runs…and they keep telling me that if you can run 20 miles, you can run 26.2, so I have nothing to fear, right?