Life is so funny. I think I say that too much, but it always occurs to me as though it's a fresh idea.
Just think... you can go through your entire day unhappy. You can be unhappy for so many reasons, that sometimes, you just leap from one reason to the next like stones across a stream, but when you're doing that, leaping from stone to stone, do you ever stop and think about the big picture, about perspective?
If there was ever a cliche that needed repeating, it's that life is too short. Life is too short to spend your moments dwelling in pity, self retribution, guilt, depression, frustration and doubt. And yet, we seem to find the time. Heh, I guess that's life, it sure is funny.
I managed to work today, swim 40 minutes in the lake, do the dishes, mow the lawn (and fertilize), and much more, and yet, throughout the day, I carried a little bit of anguish within, and I'm not even sure why.
Just a few minutes ago, it hit me; 'You're wasting your time' I said to myself. 'You're wasting your life and everything you've been given, don't you realize that there are people too old to swim, too sick to work, too obese to mow the lawn? Don't you realize you have an abundance of gifts that a mass of people would give anything for? Don't you realize...' but, it's funny, sometimes we just don't realize.
So I stopped my self-pity and aimless discouragement and decided to enjoy this moment. After all, this moment is everything, and if you waste it, well, it's gone, isn't it?
Tomorrow will be different for me; I'm going to work a little, go on a long ride, spend time with the family and appreciate my life. Someone once said, 'all my riches for a few more minutes...' How true those words are, and how seldom appreciated.
So you are struggling with aspects of your life? Relax and revel in your good fortune, life has been good to you, you're still here. Go outside, look up, drink in the sky and thank God that you are who, and where, you are today. Life is good, if for no other reason than it must be.
Enjoy tomorrow and stay focused on maintaining your perspective,
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Marathon photos and quote of the day
Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.
Yogi Berra
What blog?
Oh, that's right...I have a blog...
Seriously though, I haven't put a post up since my marathon race-review, but that's because I just woke up...
Ok, maybe not, but I swear, I've never had such a rough recovery in my life (I suppose the beer and coffee doesn't help...)...as I take a swig of Boonville Amber...
In any case, I have been very busy. Real estate has been rediculous lately, lots of work, which is great and at the same time bad, you know?
I love my job! It's so wonderful to be able to connect with people, help them, earn a living, AND have the time to work out like a lunatic.
My buddy Chris Rhodes (Rhodey) and I did the Start Global Cooling Triathlon this last Saturday...He took first place and I took second, but I have the excuse of having my first marathon soreness in my legs! I'm taking him down in two weeks at the Issaquah Tri,
We both went up to 5 mile lake today and swam around it, took about 30 minutes, and we're both totally sore in the shoulders from it. I want to get out there every other day from here on out (now that it's above 40 degrees) :)
I just talked to Rhodey and we're going to do a big 65 mile ride tomorrow morning, start in Puyallup, head through Orting up to Enumclaw, then through Black Diamond, Covington, Auburn and Sumner, back home. Sweet! It's going to take another year or so, but I seriously believe Rhodey and I can be on the podium at big triathlons, we can be that good, we just need to train more. He's a total natural, he ran the Tacoma Half Marathon a week or so ago and placed 5th! Only missed 4th by 1 second! And that was his first half marathon race! The guy is a total natural, it's up to me to keep up with him, but that's why I purchased my new perfect weapon...
Race wheels my friend, race wheels. NO joke, I'm finally a big boy, with my very own set of actual race wheels, and I am going to blow the top off of other guys with them, it's like going from a mountain bike to a road bike,
I have to wait for a new hub and cassette to come in (the end of the week), but next week I'm going to rock them all night long (ok, all day long). For some reason that reminds me of Happy Gilmore,
"I wanna touch you all over...and over and again....bah bah bah, till the night closes in! Till the night closes in!"
Ok, that's a good place to stop, I've scared some people,
Mike
Seriously though, I haven't put a post up since my marathon race-review, but that's because I just woke up...
Ok, maybe not, but I swear, I've never had such a rough recovery in my life (I suppose the beer and coffee doesn't help...)...as I take a swig of Boonville Amber...
In any case, I have been very busy. Real estate has been rediculous lately, lots of work, which is great and at the same time bad, you know?
I love my job! It's so wonderful to be able to connect with people, help them, earn a living, AND have the time to work out like a lunatic.
My buddy Chris Rhodes (Rhodey) and I did the Start Global Cooling Triathlon this last Saturday...He took first place and I took second, but I have the excuse of having my first marathon soreness in my legs! I'm taking him down in two weeks at the Issaquah Tri,
We both went up to 5 mile lake today and swam around it, took about 30 minutes, and we're both totally sore in the shoulders from it. I want to get out there every other day from here on out (now that it's above 40 degrees) :)
I just talked to Rhodey and we're going to do a big 65 mile ride tomorrow morning, start in Puyallup, head through Orting up to Enumclaw, then through Black Diamond, Covington, Auburn and Sumner, back home. Sweet! It's going to take another year or so, but I seriously believe Rhodey and I can be on the podium at big triathlons, we can be that good, we just need to train more. He's a total natural, he ran the Tacoma Half Marathon a week or so ago and placed 5th! Only missed 4th by 1 second! And that was his first half marathon race! The guy is a total natural, it's up to me to keep up with him, but that's why I purchased my new perfect weapon...
Race wheels my friend, race wheels. NO joke, I'm finally a big boy, with my very own set of actual race wheels, and I am going to blow the top off of other guys with them, it's like going from a mountain bike to a road bike,
I have to wait for a new hub and cassette to come in (the end of the week), but next week I'm going to rock them all night long (ok, all day long). For some reason that reminds me of Happy Gilmore,
"I wanna touch you all over...and over and again....bah bah bah, till the night closes in! Till the night closes in!"
Ok, that's a good place to stop, I've scared some people,
Mike
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
My First Marathon
Ok, so from the top...
I went up to Vancouver on Saturday morning with Audrey and 2 friends to run the Vancouver half-marathon. The drive was great and when we arrived we checked into the hotel (more about that little gem later) and went straight to the packet pick-up.
At the packet pick up I really wasn't feeling very excited about our run the next morning, after all, I've run 13 miles plenty of times. I can run 13 miles in 1:30, and recently I ran it in 1:37 on a very hilly course by my house, I do it to train for Half-Ironman Triathlons, of which I am signed up for 3 this summer, with a couple more on the planner. So, 13 miles was not really that nerve-racking.
Then I looked over and saw a sign across the room that said 'upgrade to full marathon'.
"Upgrade to a full marathon?" I thought..."That sounds fun". I immediately got nervous and began sweating and it was at that point that I knew I needed to do it.
I mean, if it's not about seriously challenging yourself and pushing your body to limits you haven't previously considered...then what is it really about? There is a pure, honest joy that comes from self-inflicted pain through endurance sports that I believe is impossible to find anywhere else in the world.
I look at it like this: At some point in your life you will be unable to pursue physical prowess, this is inevitable, BUT, while you can, I believe you are obligated to. There is only one thing you have truly been given in this life, there is just this one thing that God has granted you full and complete access to, with the potential for unlimited growth and fulfillment at absolutely no cost or obligation to anyone else; this is your body. Whatever shape your body is in now, whatever gifts your body has been endowed with, you are the same as the rest of us: You can begin where you are and go where you can get to. Period. Though these beginning and ending points may be different for all people, the structure of the thing, the potential for growth and fulfillment is the same across the board.
Don't squander your only real posession.
That being said, I signed up for the full marathon. The farthest I have ever run is 17 miles last November, since then 13 is the highest I have gone. So I was nervous.
We went to dinner and then back to the hotel. You couldn't possible ask for a worse hotel to stay in the night before a punishing physical test. The bed was small, but that was fine. The real issue was the location, right above the street, and the fact that it sounded like we were sleeping on the sidewalk.
I mean it was LOUD. All freakin night, sirens, cars with loud exausts, people screaming, arguing and talking. NO SLEEP. NONE. WHATSOEVER. Not good.
At 3 a.m., I looked over at my wife who was also awake and asked if I could turn the tv on, but as the other two people we were rooming with were asleep (though I still can't figure out how..), we decided against the tv.
It was the night that would not end. I longed for 5am...for the sound of the alarm clock to put me out of my misery. I no longer cared about the sleep, I just wanted to get up and do the run.
Finally, 36 hours later, the alarm clock sounded and we all got up and had oatmeal and coffee.
After seeing my wife and our two friends off on the half marathon I went and used the restroom and got in line for the start of the marathon.
I want to stop here and mention something: My legs were hurt going into this. I know that pretty much makes me insane for doing it, but there it is. My wife wrapped my right leg with tape to try and help my shin not hurt as much, but for some reason, I think it's all the swimming I've been doing, my ankles and shins have just been really messed up.
So anyway, my plan was to qualify for the Boston Marathon (not that I'm even sure I want to go to Boston..but there it is...if there is a carrot, i must chase it). To do that, I needed to run 7 min/mile for the first 16, and 8 per mile for the last 10, which is entirely possible for me to do...very realistic. But, right off the bat, I couldn't do my 7/mile pace. I went 7:15, then 7:19, 7:26, 7:15, 7:04, 7:08, 7:11, 7:11, and then finally...7:01.
So my pace was screwed from the beginning. I just couldn't make my legs go, my shins hurt. Then, around mile 16 or so, my left hamstring started wanting to lock up on me, so I kept having to focus on relaxing it and slowing just a touch.
At mile 21 or so, I went to hell. My legs rully realized I had fooled them. This was no 13 mile run. For some reason, they continued to move, though the pain was unlike anything I have ever pushed myself through. I can honestly say, I uncovered a new level of myself around mile 22 and every mile after that magnified my discovery. You can never truly know yourself and appreciate your life fully until you have experienced something like this; I firmly believe that.
Yes... I know that's a large blanket statment, but I think that there are different levels of understanding and joy, and I think I discovered a new one on Sunday. For all I know, this is why people end up running 100 mile races and doing Ironman triathlons, perhaps there are higher levels of joy which accompany the higher levels of pain. It's a mysterious relationship.
I know this for sure: If I had allowed myself to walk or slow dramatically it would not have been the same. I ran between 8 and 9 min/mile for my last 4 or 5, and while that's not my usual pace, it was the hardest I could push myself, and I am grateful to my heart and mind for being able to do it. (sounds strange to write...but it makes sense, right?)
I finished in 3:25:04, 15 minutes off the Boston qualifying time, not that I really cared. As I crossed the line I couldn't breathe and I teared up. I don't think it was from joy, and it wasn't necessarily directly from pain. I think it was due to the knowledge of the pain I had endured and not stopped. Something inside felt very different than any other feeling I have ever experienced...
If I can put a finger on it, this would be it:
The awareness of courage and perseverence.
Push yourself to levels you never believed possible, you will be amazed at the results.
I went up to Vancouver on Saturday morning with Audrey and 2 friends to run the Vancouver half-marathon. The drive was great and when we arrived we checked into the hotel (more about that little gem later) and went straight to the packet pick-up.
At the packet pick up I really wasn't feeling very excited about our run the next morning, after all, I've run 13 miles plenty of times. I can run 13 miles in 1:30, and recently I ran it in 1:37 on a very hilly course by my house, I do it to train for Half-Ironman Triathlons, of which I am signed up for 3 this summer, with a couple more on the planner. So, 13 miles was not really that nerve-racking.
Then I looked over and saw a sign across the room that said 'upgrade to full marathon'.
"Upgrade to a full marathon?" I thought..."That sounds fun". I immediately got nervous and began sweating and it was at that point that I knew I needed to do it.
I mean, if it's not about seriously challenging yourself and pushing your body to limits you haven't previously considered...then what is it really about? There is a pure, honest joy that comes from self-inflicted pain through endurance sports that I believe is impossible to find anywhere else in the world.
I look at it like this: At some point in your life you will be unable to pursue physical prowess, this is inevitable, BUT, while you can, I believe you are obligated to. There is only one thing you have truly been given in this life, there is just this one thing that God has granted you full and complete access to, with the potential for unlimited growth and fulfillment at absolutely no cost or obligation to anyone else; this is your body. Whatever shape your body is in now, whatever gifts your body has been endowed with, you are the same as the rest of us: You can begin where you are and go where you can get to. Period. Though these beginning and ending points may be different for all people, the structure of the thing, the potential for growth and fulfillment is the same across the board.
Don't squander your only real posession.
That being said, I signed up for the full marathon. The farthest I have ever run is 17 miles last November, since then 13 is the highest I have gone. So I was nervous.
We went to dinner and then back to the hotel. You couldn't possible ask for a worse hotel to stay in the night before a punishing physical test. The bed was small, but that was fine. The real issue was the location, right above the street, and the fact that it sounded like we were sleeping on the sidewalk.
I mean it was LOUD. All freakin night, sirens, cars with loud exausts, people screaming, arguing and talking. NO SLEEP. NONE. WHATSOEVER. Not good.
At 3 a.m., I looked over at my wife who was also awake and asked if I could turn the tv on, but as the other two people we were rooming with were asleep (though I still can't figure out how..), we decided against the tv.
It was the night that would not end. I longed for 5am...for the sound of the alarm clock to put me out of my misery. I no longer cared about the sleep, I just wanted to get up and do the run.
Finally, 36 hours later, the alarm clock sounded and we all got up and had oatmeal and coffee.
After seeing my wife and our two friends off on the half marathon I went and used the restroom and got in line for the start of the marathon.
I want to stop here and mention something: My legs were hurt going into this. I know that pretty much makes me insane for doing it, but there it is. My wife wrapped my right leg with tape to try and help my shin not hurt as much, but for some reason, I think it's all the swimming I've been doing, my ankles and shins have just been really messed up.
So anyway, my plan was to qualify for the Boston Marathon (not that I'm even sure I want to go to Boston..but there it is...if there is a carrot, i must chase it). To do that, I needed to run 7 min/mile for the first 16, and 8 per mile for the last 10, which is entirely possible for me to do...very realistic. But, right off the bat, I couldn't do my 7/mile pace. I went 7:15, then 7:19, 7:26, 7:15, 7:04, 7:08, 7:11, 7:11, and then finally...7:01.
So my pace was screwed from the beginning. I just couldn't make my legs go, my shins hurt. Then, around mile 16 or so, my left hamstring started wanting to lock up on me, so I kept having to focus on relaxing it and slowing just a touch.
At mile 21 or so, I went to hell. My legs rully realized I had fooled them. This was no 13 mile run. For some reason, they continued to move, though the pain was unlike anything I have ever pushed myself through. I can honestly say, I uncovered a new level of myself around mile 22 and every mile after that magnified my discovery. You can never truly know yourself and appreciate your life fully until you have experienced something like this; I firmly believe that.
Yes... I know that's a large blanket statment, but I think that there are different levels of understanding and joy, and I think I discovered a new one on Sunday. For all I know, this is why people end up running 100 mile races and doing Ironman triathlons, perhaps there are higher levels of joy which accompany the higher levels of pain. It's a mysterious relationship.
I know this for sure: If I had allowed myself to walk or slow dramatically it would not have been the same. I ran between 8 and 9 min/mile for my last 4 or 5, and while that's not my usual pace, it was the hardest I could push myself, and I am grateful to my heart and mind for being able to do it. (sounds strange to write...but it makes sense, right?)
I finished in 3:25:04, 15 minutes off the Boston qualifying time, not that I really cared. As I crossed the line I couldn't breathe and I teared up. I don't think it was from joy, and it wasn't necessarily directly from pain. I think it was due to the knowledge of the pain I had endured and not stopped. Something inside felt very different than any other feeling I have ever experienced...
If I can put a finger on it, this would be it:
The awareness of courage and perseverence.
Push yourself to levels you never believed possible, you will be amazed at the results.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Hallelujah!!!!!
Someone filled me in on the secret of 'line breaks', so, if this info. was correct, then this post should have...
Line breaks!!
How amazing!!
For quite some time now I've been frustrated with the lack of line break conversion on my blog. I type in a very specific, vocal way, and yet, when it's published it all runs together like soup.
Not anymore! Wooohoo!
My next post, in about 3 hours, will tell the story of my Vancouver Marathon. That's right, marathon, as in 26.2 miles. When I arrived in Vancouver to the 'packet pickup' I got a crazy idea and converted my registrations to a full marathon (which I have not trained for), and I will tell you the story shortly...
By the way, when is someone, anyone going to comment on my blog!?
Line breaks!!
How amazing!!
For quite some time now I've been frustrated with the lack of line break conversion on my blog. I type in a very specific, vocal way, and yet, when it's published it all runs together like soup.
Not anymore! Wooohoo!
My next post, in about 3 hours, will tell the story of my Vancouver Marathon. That's right, marathon, as in 26.2 miles. When I arrived in Vancouver to the 'packet pickup' I got a crazy idea and converted my registrations to a full marathon (which I have not trained for), and I will tell you the story shortly...
By the way, when is someone, anyone going to comment on my blog!?
Friday, May 4, 2007
Quote of The Day
Man does not simply exist, but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become in the next moment.
Viktor Frankel
Viktor Frankel
Kinetic man and the Duldrums
Most people might not know why my blogger/tri name is Kinetic Man. I chose it because Kinetic means 'born of motion'. Fitting for us Type A personalities who are pursuing a high level of physical fitness, career success, and a host of other interests, for instance, writing articles and books, scuba diving, family, acting/modeling auditions (I say auditions, because that's really all it is for the most part, auditioning, actually getting the jobs is pretty few and far between).
In any case, The Kintetic Man has been in the Duldrums for about 5 days. He quit coffee...again. I have a love/hate relationship with coffee; it fuels my motivation and mental dedication to success in a big way, yet it dehydrates me and hurts my ability to recover from hard workouts. So every once in a while I quit. Usually, it's for a much longer period than 5 days, and it's always hard. This time, it's been unbelievable. I found myself sitting in my office chair a few hours ago, just staring off into space, completely... utterly... unbelievably... unmotivated to do absolutely anything. So I cranked up the Magnifica (the expensive espresso machine my wife purchased at Starbucks - she is a Starbucks Godess, having managed there for 6 years - she got a pretty healthy discount as well). One shot of coffee later I was out the door on a 21 mile bike ride; I averaged 20 mph (or so, it's hard to say with all the slowing down for stop lights), not bad. Kinetic Man is reborn! To the world I say, bring it on mother#%J*&)@! Man, coffee is great! One more shot later and I'm off to the cold, cold, did I mention cold?, lake for a swim with my work out buddy Chris. This weekend is the Vancouver Half Marathon with my wife and two friends, I'm shooting for a time of 1:25 (come on shin splints...hold it together...don't you quit on my now!). If I can hit 1:25 I'll be pretty pleased. I'll update you on Sunday or Monday, until then... Bring the espresso machines online, I want maximum power, (in the voice of Captain Jean Luke Picard) On my mark... Fire One!
Peace,
In any case, The Kintetic Man has been in the Duldrums for about 5 days. He quit coffee...again. I have a love/hate relationship with coffee; it fuels my motivation and mental dedication to success in a big way, yet it dehydrates me and hurts my ability to recover from hard workouts. So every once in a while I quit. Usually, it's for a much longer period than 5 days, and it's always hard. This time, it's been unbelievable. I found myself sitting in my office chair a few hours ago, just staring off into space, completely... utterly... unbelievably... unmotivated to do absolutely anything. So I cranked up the Magnifica (the expensive espresso machine my wife purchased at Starbucks - she is a Starbucks Godess, having managed there for 6 years - she got a pretty healthy discount as well). One shot of coffee later I was out the door on a 21 mile bike ride; I averaged 20 mph (or so, it's hard to say with all the slowing down for stop lights), not bad. Kinetic Man is reborn! To the world I say, bring it on mother#%J*&)@! Man, coffee is great! One more shot later and I'm off to the cold, cold, did I mention cold?, lake for a swim with my work out buddy Chris. This weekend is the Vancouver Half Marathon with my wife and two friends, I'm shooting for a time of 1:25 (come on shin splints...hold it together...don't you quit on my now!). If I can hit 1:25 I'll be pretty pleased. I'll update you on Sunday or Monday, until then... Bring the espresso machines online, I want maximum power, (in the voice of Captain Jean Luke Picard) On my mark... Fire One!
Peace,
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
quote of the day
The words “I AM …” are potent words; be careful what you hitch them to. The thing you’re claiming has a way of reaching back and claiming you. -A.L. Kitselman
I love that one
I love that one
what day is it?
Well,
I got a little busy this last week and forgot to keep up with my blog here.
Working out: I ran 7 miles on Saturday (the 28th) and wanted to push myself. I've decided that the next two months is all about speed for me; pushing the lactate threshold and developing more muscular endurance. My first serious race is on June 22nd, the Pacific Crest half iron-man, so until then, I'm going to do everything I can to maximize my speed. I ran the 7 mile at 6:30 pace for most of them (except the first two were a bit slower, the first mile is all incline from my house). I felt great, and the speed is good, but then Monday I went with a good friend of mine, Chris Rhodes, up to 5 mile lake in Federal Way. We were going to do a small triathlon. It started with an 800 yard swim in the lake (brrrr...), with rests after each 200, then we drove over to the south hill YMCA to practice the SGC Tri course (coming up in 2 weeks). The bike course went great, it's about 9 miles and we absolutely destroyed it, but then we jumped onto the run and my legs completely gave up. Shin splints. And very, very painful ones. So we ran/walked it (just a little walking), which was dissapointing.
I have my half-marathon in Vancouver this weekend, so the rest of the week I'm taking it easy as far as running (meaning I'm not doing it). My plan is to shoot for 1:25 for the half marathon, but with these shin spints flaring up, I'm a little worried. I"m going to have to just rest and hope they are ready.
That's all for the exercise stuff; work wise, I'm still trying to hone in on exactly what I'm doing :) Obviously, I'm doing real estate, but as far as finding new clients, well, that's the hard part. I'm treating it just like I treat everything else in life, keep believing things will happen, and do everything I can think of to make sure it does. I do open houses all weekend, every weekend (except for race days), and that's going well, but I am struggling a little bit with putting together a 'database' to 'market' to. I don't like 'marketing'. I want to simply have relationships with people, and when they need help with real estate, they call. The problem with that is: People don't really need 'constant' help with real estate, so it's a struggle.
Anyway, that's all for now, I'm headed off to an 'interview' for being a new construction site agent (another idea for trying to earn some dough),
I got a little busy this last week and forgot to keep up with my blog here.
Working out: I ran 7 miles on Saturday (the 28th) and wanted to push myself. I've decided that the next two months is all about speed for me; pushing the lactate threshold and developing more muscular endurance. My first serious race is on June 22nd, the Pacific Crest half iron-man, so until then, I'm going to do everything I can to maximize my speed. I ran the 7 mile at 6:30 pace for most of them (except the first two were a bit slower, the first mile is all incline from my house). I felt great, and the speed is good, but then Monday I went with a good friend of mine, Chris Rhodes, up to 5 mile lake in Federal Way. We were going to do a small triathlon. It started with an 800 yard swim in the lake (brrrr...), with rests after each 200, then we drove over to the south hill YMCA to practice the SGC Tri course (coming up in 2 weeks). The bike course went great, it's about 9 miles and we absolutely destroyed it, but then we jumped onto the run and my legs completely gave up. Shin splints. And very, very painful ones. So we ran/walked it (just a little walking), which was dissapointing.
I have my half-marathon in Vancouver this weekend, so the rest of the week I'm taking it easy as far as running (meaning I'm not doing it). My plan is to shoot for 1:25 for the half marathon, but with these shin spints flaring up, I'm a little worried. I"m going to have to just rest and hope they are ready.
That's all for the exercise stuff; work wise, I'm still trying to hone in on exactly what I'm doing :) Obviously, I'm doing real estate, but as far as finding new clients, well, that's the hard part. I'm treating it just like I treat everything else in life, keep believing things will happen, and do everything I can think of to make sure it does. I do open houses all weekend, every weekend (except for race days), and that's going well, but I am struggling a little bit with putting together a 'database' to 'market' to. I don't like 'marketing'. I want to simply have relationships with people, and when they need help with real estate, they call. The problem with that is: People don't really need 'constant' help with real estate, so it's a struggle.
Anyway, that's all for now, I'm headed off to an 'interview' for being a new construction site agent (another idea for trying to earn some dough),
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