Next Step

With little steam in the tank today, it seems an odd follow up to yesterday's zest to say today is focused on the next step. I am not feeling much pep, but much like mile 25 of a marathon, I am just focusing on the next steps in front of me. Tonight it has been as simple as laundry, dinner, dishes, graphic edit,and so on. Sometimes you just need to do that.

Push

I worked late last night and early again today. In total about 19 hrs within a 24 hr frame. After gett inhume both days I cranked out some design work. Tonight when that was done I laced up and got my hills run in. I am pretty spent and in total love with my bag of Jalapeño chips and pop right now. What also feels good is knowing there is push there when I needed it. It certainly wasn't the hardest of schedules or tasks, but for what it was I met each one. That feels good. I am ever grateful for the energy and drive to go a little further.

Snow Run

There is a true joy in running out on fresh snow. The world looks cleans, the feet fall softly, the air is crisp. As an added bonus, very few seem interested in getting out into this white blanketed wonderland, so the trails and roads are very empty. I have always enjoyed the snow for the makeover effect it gives the world around. For a little while, everything people have built and formed in their world around them is trumped by nature. However, when I lace up and run out into the fresh powder, I feel as though I am fitting in perfectly to this new world. That is a feeling not often experienced for me. I even enjoy the soft crunches of each step. It was tough to come inside again today, but conversely, a hot shower rarely feels better than after a snow run.

Yoga!

I have been trying to incorporate yoga into my workouts. It has just been me and one of Tiff's DVD's and I have never made it through an entire one. That is till today. It wasn't pretty, but I persevered till the resting pose (aptly called copse pose). I feel so good! It feels a little like after a long run and a little like after a good trip to the gym. Those accomplishments can be so satisfying, it's hard to put into words. I felt that way at each level of running and it is kind of awesome to have it tonight from trying something so foreign as yoga. I actually felt it when at the conclusion he said Namaste. Not bad for a snowy Monday night.

A Runner's Church

Now in week 2 of marathon training, the Sunday long run is feeling a tad less novel. I was a little less excited to get going this time, but with an unseasonal rain last night, the air was damp and clean and just begged for some miles. I set out without much feet dragging and gratefully not an an unholy hour. It soon felt exhilarating to be out there and just running. I equate long runs to cross country road trips. You soon settle in and stop thinking as much about the end of the trip. It's times like that when I find myself reflecting a little more on an elevated level. It brings a closeness for me to powers much beyond myself and there I start to feel a peace I usually have to work much harder to get. In that respect, it feels much like my church to be out there plodding the miles. Just 7 more days till the next service. I can't wait.

Perfect fit

There is nothing like hitting the final hill on the way home from a good run and have iPod shuffle select Higher Ground  just as you begging the assent. Some moments are just simple and perfect, no further blogging need be done.

Odd Monday

Working nontraditional hours and days, I find myself preparing to go in to work here shortly. For most people, today is Friday, the day before a weekend. For me, this is my Monday. It seems odd to always be on such a different schedule, but in some ways it has its perks. My errands were far less crowded over the last couple days. Just an interesting perspective how days can be embodied with standard feelings, even when they don't adhere to their traditional roles.

K, I'm done now.

Destination Running

My intention was to sign up to run the Chicago Marathon this fall. By my intention, that also means if my wife abides my plan. I have wanted to get back to the Windy City for their 26.2 for a while. It remains my favorite experience. The reason I phrased it in the past tense is that I have done some research on a couple other marathons, Portland and Denver Rock n' Roll. The latter was mostly because I have run it before and was curious about the course. As it turns out, the last mile goes right by my new home. It also winds all around my new neighborhood. The temptation of that kind of familiarity in the final miles of a marathon is more than a little tempting! I am already signed up andd training for the Colfax Marathon, the Denver underdog of marathons. Could it be I am ready to sign up for a second marathon at altitude? Stay tuned.

Donut Shop

I was running some errands today and decided to indulge in a trip to the donut shop. I swung in and grabbed a half dozen, planning on fueling my home painting project through the day with some sugary treats. I opted to grab a seat and have a couple and a cup of coffee before heading out to my next stop. As I sat there I watched a couple folks come in and order. It was fun as there are arguably no needs being filled at a donut shop, just pure indulgence. On older gentleman came in and ordered 4 to go. It seemed apparent he was to enjoy each and everyone of them by his smile. It made me happy to see. Before he left we made eye contact, and he just smiled and said to me, "they're good, aren't they?" Yes they are. 

6am Musings

It's 6am and I'm at work already. There's a small happy in having the day already underway and no longer dreading the early alarm clock. Today I'm seeking to just be grateful while still pushing for the desired change. It's a fine line.

Yoga Monday

It's often lauded as great to try new things. I'm a degree skeptical on that one right now as I sit here rocked by another stab at yoga. Not even a class, just a DVD even! I'm shocked how hard this is while simultaneously looking so damn simple. Trust me, the part of the DVD I'm at, it is still ridiculously simple. I dig it, but damn it's humbling. As with so many things, yoga appears to be of the nature that starting out will be slow, humbling with a gratification a little ways down the line. Running started out the same way. I was running in Hollywood in plaid Target shorts, Merrel's and big cotton socks. It was not exactly smooth sailing. I'll stick with it, but am truly desiring an ego boosting endeavor soon. Just enough to get me back on that yoga mat next Monday.

Football

Tiff and I went over to my folks for a visit today and spent most of the day watching the final playoff games. Now she and my mom are nominal football watchers at best and my dad and I truly have little interest in the remaining teams, but it was a lot of fun to just relax and watch the games. There is something about just sitting back and watching the spectacle that is pro football. It's such a larger than life game that it's fun and easy just to enjoy the entertainment of it. Tiff even paid enough attention to understand who will be going to the Super Bowl in a couple weeks. I have another great memory of enjoying something with my dad. He only tensed up briefly about disagreements he had with the officials, a big improvement. It may be just a game, and an overhyped one at that, but it allows for some great connections with friends and family.

That Guy

I was just out running in my neighborhood park. It's fantastic to have so many runners out there. I tend to be quite the social runner when out and that seems an unusual trait. I am always ready to give a nod or a slight wave to passing runners. More often than not, it is never reciprocated and for a while I felt odd for it as though I was doing something wrong. Then today it just felt right to offer the nod of hello again. I started doing so and even though it never came back, I felt happy doing it. I guess I am just that guy. I do it because it makes me happy to do so.

Dog Time

I am still in the early stages of my day, having the opportunity to sleep in a little. While still formulating what to do before work, our dogs have been particularly attentive this morning. I wanted to get breakfast, read, and get ready for a run. Apparently their plan was a little different. Ordinarily they will just hop on the couch after the morning walk and snooze all day to save their energy. After all, driving my wife nuts takes a rested pup. Today they were all about engaging me andI am a little embarrassed to admit it wasn't working at first. I am shocked how my brain can keep me so wrapped up, I miss something like a couple Westies trying hard to get you to play. Fortunately they outlasted my "important" planning and we tussled a bit. It was potentially the most important thing I can do today. Not the wrestling and tossing of rubber bones but the paying attention to what life has going on right now.

Great Hood

I am enamored with the better fit we have in our new neighborhood. I wanted to make a little treat after dinner and needed a couple things from the store and I mean just a couple. The list was so short, I'd have skipped the idea if I had to drive anywhere. Instead, I hopped on the bike and rode the 4 blocks to the store. I grabbed a couple extra items, tossed them in the Chrome bag. It was interesting to come out and actually have to look to find my bike in the crowded rack. When I wheeled onto the road there were twinkles up and down the street of blinking bike lamps. It just feels good to be in an environment where you don't feel like an odd duck.

Shoes

I'm in a quandary about buying some new running shoes. Mine are shot right now (700 miles?) and I am beginning training for a marathon this week. The long and short of it is that I will need a new pair before I even get to the race. It seems wasteful to buy 2 pair for one marathon, but I am not sure mine will hold up much longer, thanks to 2 winters of running in them. What to do? These are definitely good problems to have.

Colfax Marathon Training

My training for the Colfax Marathon has officially begun! I am tweaking my training program some this year and adding a lot more milage. It's my hope to finally break the 4:00 mark. As always my first two goals though are to have fun and to finish. I'm excited!

Courtesy

It seems like such a small thing, but courtesy can truly go quite far. Currently, I get to see a lot of people in quick exchanges. While I admit I am a huge fan of manners and etiquette, it shocks me how some people convey themselves. Even in the briefest of exchanges, there is still time to speak with respect and decorum without sounding as though you fell out of a Jane Austin novel. There is such value in it, I am dumbfounded when it is so easily cast aside. Just thought a shout out to the blogosphere for my three readers was in order, thank you.

It's Cold Outside

I went for a run tonight. It's dipped below 10 degrees before the wind chill factor. It sounded like a fun challenge to give it a try. To do so I utilized the following:

• 2x Smartwool socks
• UnderArmor leggings
• UnderArmor pants
• UnderArmor long sleeve base layer
• Rudolph Ramble tech shirt
• UnderArmor Fleece
• Brooks Florescent running fleece
• 2x pairs of gloves
• Ice Breaker hat
• Head sock
• Head lamp
• 1 very sad pair of Asics

To say I felt like the kid in the old Charmin commercials would be pretty accurate. It was fun though and with the exception of my breath freezing on my eyelashes, it was uneventful by way of cold exposure. Plus, I had a whole city park to myself tonight. Not bad.

Stuff to do.

Stuff to do. That seems to be the constant around the new home. It's all so very good and quite enjoyable, but there sure is a lot of it. We had plans to head up to the mountains today, but opted to avoid the sub zero temp's. Thusly, after an awesome breakfast at our new favorite local place, Jelly, we got to work on the house. It feels so good to get some of the ideas done. It seems more fun to be transforming this old place to our tastes than it was when we had the chance to do it from the ground up.

Enjoyable distraction

The Denver Broncos are in the playoffs and the home town is all a buzz. As I was driving home last night there were several buildings downtown lit in blue and orange. It made me happy to see it. My return to enjoying football has been gradual over the last 5 years or so, but my support for a team has been constant. While I think there are serious flaws in comparing being a fan to religious faith, there are some similarities. For me, it's just enjoyable to have a team to support and cheer for. It means little and ultimately does almost nothing for improving the world around us. However, for a short while, like a book or good play, it provides an enjoyable distraction. That to me is completely worth it.

Yeild

I was heading home tonight and traffic was a little rougher than usual for that time of the night. One thing seemed constant, everyone was in a hurry. There were a lot of jerks out there, all the way down to the guy that stayed for 60 seconds as I was trying my first unsuccessful parallel attempt. It lasted 60 seconds as I could not pull out to try again because he was right on me and in a space with less than 10 inches between either bumper, that first pass has to be spot on. Yet I digress. I tried to slow my frustration by being a bit more gracious and allowing the mergers and what not. It seems every time I dose out asshole, I get it right back. While being a little cooler out there did not come back my way, I wasn't livid when I got home either. Maybe that was the point.

Good Food

I have been trying hard to hold true to my year of good whenever possible. One of my latest enjoyments has been my Bloodbuzz Ohio (The National version) Pandora station. I have also been trying to eat better. That requires some explanation I feel. To me better includes enjoyment. I am not forgoing french fries for salad. Not by a long shot in fact. I am trying to eat more often and more enjoyably. To me that means not eating food that will leave me feeling worse for having eaten it like much fast food. There is a pleasure element I am trying to introduce again. Whereas once I skipped breakfast for a run and smoothie, I am trying to introduce decent breakfast again. My latest creation was M&M pancakes with bananas. So good! Plus, I was ok to run only an hour after. It feels good, at least considering what I eat by these guidelines.

Cubs Fan

When I moved to Chicago in 2000, I adopted the Cubs as a my new home team to cheer for. It made sense as I lived on the North side and have only lived in National League towns. Plus there was Wrigley Field in all its historic glory. I was quite happy cheering the lovable losers. I was even outside the ivory clad walls the night Bartman went down in goat filled infamy. Even that debacle could not sour my love of the Cubs and their, "always next year."

It wasn't until I moved three blocks from Wrigley that I started to disdain the red and blue. It wasn't even the team that did it. It was the obnoxious fans. At games and especially outside the ballpark, they were the most unruly and disrespectful group one could amass. The masses clad in blue and red seemed to get more rude, more obnoxious, and more out of control every year. I used to love going to the games and see a dad there with his kid and imagine how that had happened for generations in those very seats. Anymore it was like a frat house without class the next day.

I was done and in rebellion, turned in my "C" for a "SOX" on my hat. I rooted for the South Siders and jeered the "losers" often.

Now a couple years removed from my Windy City home, I am finding a nostalgic desire to return my fan dome back the Cubbies. I will not go to Coors Field when they play here (the Chicago fans are mostly embarrassing), but I do find myself want ing to cheer them on again this year. I was a fan long enough to believe in the next year idea. Besides, I would rather be cheering for them when it happens than bandwagon it in September.

Plus, barring a miracle, my Chicago and Denver loyalties will yet again not be put too much to the test.

Running Downtown.

I just got in from a post work run. I am absolutely loving having this fantastic park so close by to pound out a few after work miles. I haven't even explored every direction just yet. It is truly refreshing to have multiple options. A couple days ago I tried a new route that took me on a loop of Sports Authority Field. It was fun 7.75 mile lollipop. What made me smile were the similar landmarks to my treasured lake front runs in Chicago. I passed a Ferris Wheel, the aquarium and a pro football field. It's been a lot of fun in our new digs. The other perk is not being the only runner out there. Not one coyote yet.

Just Add More

Last year Tiff and I were about to give up on a cleanse right about now. I recall how it entailed fruit juices, no gluten, and a variety of other things that were no's. It was so time consuming and attention demanding that it was difficult to focus on anything else. At the time I was a few days quit smoking and doing alright. When the rigors of the cleanse began and I found myself constantly hungry, it actually took the edge off the smoking cravings. As odd as it seems, increasing the challenge lightened that one.

I am embracing all the efforts for this 2013 of Good as it is taking the edge off the more challenging efforts. Right now I'm enjoying a great old time sounding jazz station on iTunes, KKJZ, and Tiff's making breakfast burritos. It's going to be a good day

What Affects You

A friend recently told me about how she had been made aware of the impact of the stimulus she surrounded herself with. For example, watching depressing movies and listening to sad music was predictably making her less happy. I took this idea with a grain of salt. I have understood how "angry music" has made me happy (without the need to go be angry first).

I have however noticed one element of this that seemed spot on on. There is a cruelty in some entertainment that I am very susceptible to. It leaves me feeling just awful when I see it. This I identified when watching an episode of Walking Dead. I am not a zombie fan at all, but do find myself fascinated by apocalyptic stories. There was an episode where an ordinarily brutal world turned just that much more cruel. I shut it off and just felt angry and bummed out. Why did THAT just have to happen?

That's when I started to get the aforementioned theory. It's not that all music and film affect us the same way, but when I found my personal emotional trap doors, I needed to listen to it. No more Walking Dead for me (which kinda sucks as I was enjoying till that point). I also know now that senseless cruelty is where I draw a line.

Sometimes it seems obvious, but knowing it still feels better.

Little Things

The little things, as they say, can make all the difference. I do appreciate them for sure. Today for example, Tiff and I got up early and walked down to our favorite neighborhood coffee shop a couple blocks away. They make one of the smoothest cups I have tasted in Denver. It was great grabbing the dogs and just going. The lattes were excellent, their was cold, and the dogs were quite happy. When reflecting, it seems less like one of the "little things' and more like one of the things you should be paying more attention to.

Working on it

I am trying to do better on the eating "good" point of this year's resolution. Right now I think awareness may be my only victory. I cite last night's delemna as my reference here. I am on my way home late from meeting some friends. I'm hungry and have a 30 minute drive home. My first thought was to grab some drive through. Then I recall my resolution and begrudgingly think where can I get "good" food and not slow my trip home much. I opt for the grocery store near by, but still have no plan. After milling about for too long, wiping out the fast part entirely, I convinced myself a bag of chips was ok as it was a local company and kettle chips at that. I bought a juice and headed out on my way. I spent 20 minutes only to wind up with an expensive juice and a bag of chips? Effort was there but I had to laugh that that was my big "good" effort.

Choices

It feels good to have a day off finally. Although it's just in its first hours, it already feels as though so much has been done. Mostly breaking a couple routines. Adding good food sooner in the day and eliminating an unhealthy habit. So far, so good. It's almost intoxicating though to ponder what to do with a full day off when you haven't had one in a while. Paint, eat, run…

Having options is fantastic.

New Year Resolutions

I always enjoy the topic of New Year's resolutions. It seems entertaining that so many people are ready to give up this or that. The fun part is that they want to do it at midnight, probably at a party, just before a holiday. A fine receipt for disaster. Also probably why so many efforts last less than the first hour of the new year.

I'm trying a new one this year, the "Year of Good." It's a simple idea to try and get good sleep, good food, and good music as often as is permutable this year. It's a theory, but having as much of those three things will lead to an overall sense of good too.

There's also more running, more writing, and less monkey. So far those three are off to a great start.

Hope this year finds you all well and happy! It's going to be a good year ya'll!