Tony Dungy: Uncommon Life Reflection 11.30.11

The passage for today was another great one. I think each person who reads the reflection for today will approach it differently. Being that I not overall a religious person, I perceived the message differently than someone who is more religious than myself.

The passage told the story of Mary and Martha and how they responded differently to the presence of God. Martha was getting quite frustrated that Mary was not helping with the big dinner that was at hand. Mary was just sitting soaking in the moment of being with the Lord. - Luke 10:40-42

Tony goes on to discuss how many of us lose focus of the bigger picture. Coaches get so caught up in the small details of practice and games. Teachers get caught up in the big stack of papers to grade, lessons to plan, etc. Parents get caught up in driving here and there, making dinner, checking for homework, etc. We all get caught up in the daily activities and miss the big picture.

Tony proceeds to talk about taking time to appreciate God. I view this passage as taking time to be in the moment. To enjoy what we have at our disposal. I get caught up with my To Do List. I cannot tell you how many times I tell Addy I will play store with her when I finish cleaning up after dinner, then changing Ava, then doing homework with Aiden. I know I have let her down many times. I need to stop and pause. I need to let the dishes be dirty for another 30 minutes and go buy something from her store. She won't always ask me to do this. She will grow up...and way too soon. If I don't connect with her more and more and do these little things she will find somebody else who will. I want to make sure that she never stops asking me to play and help her. It is hard, but in the big scheme of things what is more important - dirty dishes or playing store?

The checkout counter

This passage hit home with me because last night both Amanda and myself both took time to play store. She had this complicated and rather creative system where this little stand served as the conveyor belt used at stores to move the food down to the cashier. She had baskets of food stowed away. She was using a Wii controller as the scanner. Had I continued worrying about this and that I would have missed her creative flare that she possesses. To read this passage this morning reminded me that I NEED and MUST do this more with my family. It was also weird because as I booted up my Mac this morning for some reason I came across a photo of Addy from July 2010. It was so strange to see how much she has grown up. It all seemed to hit me like a ton of bricks over the course of a few hours and then to read this passage simply solidified all my thoughts.

Aiden on his raft portraying Man vs. Wild

This post has focused on Addy, but all of this holds true for my kids and wife. Aiden was busy recreating his own Man vs. Wild(he loves nature and all of these types of shows). He would pretend sleep, wake up, paddle his way and pretend he was seeing animals and looking for a dry spot to set up camp. He took his dinner and pretended it was fish he caught eating like Bear does on the show. He was just loaded with knowledge and you could tell he was completely in the moment. Once again I don't want him to ever lose his creativity and the confidence to pursue his passions. One of the things that happen in school and life is that after being told no or being made fun of so many times it eventually wears on a person to the point where they adapt to the norm. I don't want my kids to adapt to the norm. I want them to keep their passion for life(both the good and bad).

In closing, it has been weird. Since I have started reading Uncommon Life by Today Dungy I am seeing things unravel right in front of me that  may not have taken the time to enjoy and process. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but for now I will enjoy what I have in front of me.

Triathlon Training Update: Bike Tune Up and Gear Check

Last night I headed back to Healthy Habits to pick up my bike. I took it in on Sunday for a tune up. The bike was in need. They took care of everything and got my bike ready to rock and roll. My bike is far from amazing. I purchased the 2002 Fuji League road bike for $80. However, at this point in time it does all I need it to do.

Last night I had them fit me to the bike. I was amazed at how much better it feels. They adjusted the seat forward and raised it considerably to dial in my proper knee angle. They also took out the handlebar mount and put in a new piece. The part that was in there no longer exists so an upgrade was needed. My handlebars needed to be raised. My bike is good to go for the winter. My trainer is supposed to be in tomorrow so I will be able to hopefully get everything set up properly and ready for my ride Saturday.

I am in need of some pedals and shoes. I will be okay with just my old running shoes for now, but I need to order pedals and shoes to get used to that feeling and doing things right.

Over in the swimming arena I have some flippers coming my way to improve my swimming technique. I think that is about all I need for swimming.

Things are taking shape. The only other want I have is maybe some warmer clothing for running outside, but not sure if that is really a necessity. I have pumped in enough money already. Shoes and pedals for the bike and that will be about it until Spring time.

Just wanted to share my journey not only in training, but in all the other aspects as well. I will post photos and reviews once I get everything set up.

Board of Inspiration 11.30.11

Board of Inspiration 11.29.11

I know this is a day late, but still wanted to share.

Triathlon Training: Week 1 - 45 Minute Bike Ride

My bike trainer has not arrived yet so I went to the Y this morning to get my biking in. I jumped on one of the old training bikes they use for spin class and set off for my 45 minute ride. I was to ride at a moderate intensity (6-7 level on a scale of 10). As I rode I continued to increase the difficulty in pedaling.

I really have no idea how far I biked today. I did not have anything to gauge distance. If I base it on the two times I rode my bike for 25 miles about a month ago where I averaged 3:56 mile pace overall between the 50 miles and apply it to the bike workout today I think that could work. I will round up to a flat 4 minute mile pace and that places me at about 11 miles on the bike. Once again, this is just a guess and I have nothing to verify the accuracy of this.

I will state that my legs feel like jelly. I can tell that I am not a bike rider......yet. My legs will adapt like they did with running, but it will take some time.

My trainer is supposed to arrive tomorrow so when I ride again this weekend I will hopefully be on my trainer.

So far the training is going well. I know it has only been three days, but a good start is the key to a successful campaign.

Plan for tomorrow is to run and lift.

Have a great Wednesday! Continue GETTING IT DONE!

Triathlon Training: Week 1 - Tuesday Run

The plan today called for a 25 or 30 minute run. I am not one that can run by time so I set out to do my course that I have been running with the Crazies the last few weeks. This is a 6 mile run and this morning it took me 51:22 for a 8:33 mile pace to complete. I know this is way over the scheduled run time, but I have been running all year so I don't think any harm will come to me running my typical run schedule until the distance and intensity picks up later in the training.

I headed over to BMS to see if anyone was up for a run. At about 5:05 I realized it was just going to be me so I strapped on my headphones and headed out. I decided to run the course in the opposite direction today. This was not a smart move because the wind was blowing right at me and that wind tore right through my clothes. I started off slow on mile 1 running 8:55 because my body just could not get loose and warmed up. It was cold. I had on a long sleeve Under Armour, another long sleeve shirt, and a hooded sweatshirt and I never really got too warm. I am one who heats up fast.

I kept the run nice and easy the whole time with my fastest mile at 8:07 on mile 5. My body just was not up to par today. My legs were tired. The swim workout and the two sets of squats yesterday really took it out of my legs. My stomach has been on edge the last few days so the whole time I was running I was thinking and praying my stomach would not explode! I think due to the cold and not really warming up the way I thought I would my Achilles were tender.

Despite my aches and the cold it sure felt nice to get a good run in today. I was glad I took off and did not go back home(which I thought about). It had been one week since I had ran last so it was good to be back. Not sure how much longer I will be running out in this wind and cold. I don't mind the cold, but the wind is brutal.

Happy Tuesday. Keep working hard towards your goals and stay positive.

Tony Dungy: Uncommon Life Daily Challenge Reflection 10.28.11

I started reading this book two days ago and I cannot believe how addicted I am already to reading the passage for the day and trying to apply it to my life as a father/husband/coach/exercise enthusiast.

Today the passage dealt with miracles. It talks about being in the moment and really taking time to appreciate all the miracles that are around us. We are busy people. Busy doing whatever you do during your 24 hours each day. The "busy" aspect of our lives can be different depending on our families, schedules, and hobbies, but essentially we are all connected by the fact that we so easily become distracted with all that has to be done. We start to stress about doing this and doing that. We become frustrated and lose sight very easily about the important things. The passage today reminds me to slow down and make sure I don't miss the miracles at hand.

Let me give you an example of a few miracles that have happened since I took time to notice them.

1. Today a sporadic moment at the end of the school day had me walking into the classroom of another teacher. I shared with him the book and how I thought it was the perfect book for him. This lead to to two discussions. One with another teacher in the hallway and one with him after he read the passage for today and we discussed the topic at hand. These two discussions were miracles in my mind because we took time to listen, share, and make a connection that we could have easily lost in the shuffle of teaching, lesson planning, cleaning up, rushing to our next job as coach or parent. It felt good to talk about something that drew passion out of other people. This lead me to.....

2. Thinking back to yesterday when we decorated the Christmas Tree. I was so worried about getting all these things done before school today that I grew impatient with my children. I was not the joyous person I typically am around the the Christmas Tree decorating time. My wife gave me a look, said my name when I became angry at my daughter and she instantly put me into place. This miracle of my wife caused me to calm down, collect myself, and enjoy the moment. I don't care where the ornaments are located. Is it really important? It is more important that my kids decorate. They have a reason for the placement of the ornaments. I also was allowed the miracle of listening to my kids remember all the ornaments. These already have sentimental value to them as they could remember so many of them. I was blown away by their memory. Some of them were wadded up paper that they created years ago that they called "gifts". They remembered they made them and it meant the world to them that we still had them. Had my wife not performed her miracle I would have missed these moments in exchange for anger and that would have lead to regret.

3. I loaded up some pictures from my phone from this weekend and reading the passage today had me think about all the things I am thankful for. The pictures lend themselves perfectly to this and I will be crafting a little slide show/blog post about these pictures when I have some more time.

I cannot wait to read the passage for tomorrow. I never read ahead so I must wait until tomorrow. Until then, don't forget to slow down and look for the miracles around you. They are everywhere and everyone has a story to share about miracles. Don't lose sight of the important things in life. They are not always what is on your To Do List.

Live Uncommon!!

Triathlon Training Begins: 32 Weeks to 70.3 Ironman @ Muncie, IN

It is done. Well, done in the sense that I have finally put together a plan for the next 32 weeks. I wrapped up my running season with the Living History Farms Race a few weeks back. This was the perfect race to keep me running. During that time I really felt good and found my motivation to push my body after losing all sense of focus.

I took some time off over Thanksgiving. I dropped off the online world except for a few FB and Twitter posts here and there. I hung out with my family and ate like a slob. I had planned for two rest days and this quickly turned into four days. I don't really think this was bad as my body has not had much downtime lately. Last night my body had enough of the garbage being fed to it and so was my mind. I prepped my body to refocus.

The weekend gave me some time to sit and plan out an action plan for my training. I need races to prep for or I quickly convince myself to not train. I have discussed triathlons for a while now and just needed to push myself over the edge and commit much like the marathon I accomplished this year. I failed about four times to get started and then I finally committed and it was all good from there.

I printed out monthly calendars(see above) from December 2011 - September 2012 and began to pencil in the races I really want to do. I sat down with Amanda to make sure she was ok with everything because I know it is just as hard for her taking care of the kids as it is for me to train. Without her none of this is possible.

Here are the races as of right now that I know for sure I want to participate in:

-June 8-9: Ragnar Relay
-June 16th: QC Tri (my first tri)
-July 7th: 70.3 Ironman in Muncie, IN
-July 30th(date subject to change): Bix 7
-September 23rd: QC Marathon

The other races I considered are

May 26th: Iron Horse 50 Mile Bike @ Colorado
August 12th - Rev3 70.3 @ Wisconsin Dells
September 9th: Full 140.6 Ironman at Madison, WI or 140.6 Rev3 @ Cedar Point(this is all depending on how I feel with the July 7th race)

My big GETTING IT DONE! goal is the 70.3 Ironman in Muncie, IN on July 7th. I need to register to make it official, but this is what my sights are set on as my next big challenge to conquer. I marked my calendar for this race and counted my weeks back to now. This gave me 32 weeks. I then had to figure out when to start training. Being as cycling and swimming are brand new to me I decided to break up my training into two parts
1. 12 week Sprint Tri Training
2. 20 Week 70.3 Ironman Training

This gives me three months to learn how to train, learn technique and build up my stamina and strength properly without forcing myself to do more than I can handle. I hope to find an inside tri at the end of 12 weeks as a practice.

Once I finish the 12 weeks, then I should have a good base to really hammer out training for the 70.3 race. By then, I will hopefully figured out my body, strengths, weaknesses, etc.
This means that I need to start training today.

What do you think? I would welcome any feedback or advice. I have crafted all of this just based on what I have read and my personal insights(not much). My bike is at Healthy Habits getting tuned up and once that is done I will have it fitted for me. I have ordered a trainer online so I can ride at home in the morning and night. I have ordered my own set of fins for swimming. I still need bike pedals and shoes and I should be good for now. Eventually I will need a tri suit and all that good stuff, but that is not needed at this point in time.

I am excited. I have a plan. I have a vision. I have a goal. It is time to push my body to a new level. I have progressed from a half marathon two years ago to the marathon this year to the new level of a 70.3 race. I am thankful for the family support and the health that allows me to do this. I don't ever want to take it for granted.

Don't worry companies, I am currently accepting any sponsorships at the moment. Please let me know.

(yes, this is complete sarcasm as I don't expect it, but felt like adding it in here for a little humor)

Board of Inspiration 11.28.11

New Daily Journal Topic Posted on my Tumblr Page

http://coffeechug.tumblr.com/

Triathlon Training Begins - Week 1: Day 1 of 32 Weeks

This morning I started my triathlon training. I know it seems like a weird time to start, but after spending some serious time yesterday calculating races, the calendar, and what I think I need to be ready today was the day to start. I will have a separate post coming later today about my triathlon training plan, but for this post I am going to focus on my first workout.

Today was a swim workout. I know I still have much to learn about swimming, but I figured I could incorporate my swimming technique work into the training plan at the same time. I am starting at a basic level for both skill and endurance so this should not be much of a problem.

I wrote out my workout and placed it in a plastic baggie to keep it from getting ruined(so clever I know!)

Jumping into the pool felt like I had not swam in forever(even though it was only about 5 days ago). Having a plan made me more focused and allowed me to get in and get out in about 30 minutes. The plan kept me from stopping all the time and reduced my rest times. I swam about the same amount as I had been, but I had a purpose and time flew by.

I started off with 200 warm up getting my body back in the flow of swimming. Taking four days off really causes more harm than good.

I then moved into a Swim Drill Set. The plan asked for 6 x 25, but I did 8 x 25 to focus on technique more. I worked with the pull buoy, the shark fin, side swim, and counted my strokes.

From there I moved to the hardest part of the workout, the Swim Base Intervals. I had to do 4 x 100 with 5 second rest in between. I have not swam 100 consecutively before. I was able to complete the 4 sets, but I needed more than 5 seconds rest between(more like 20 seconds). I could tell I would get tired the last 25 or so because my swim form fell apart completely. My legs were so far down in the water and my stroke was terrible. This is a good element to add because this is something I need to work on in addition to technique.

Next up was the kicking set. This asked for 4 x 25. I did 50 with no fins, 50 with fins, and another 50 where I would work on adding my arms into the mix to work on technique. I added an extra 50.

Finally, it was time for the 200 cool down. I was tired and ready to be done. However, with the extra time I was able to then go to the gym and get in a short workout.

I ended up with 1150 yd. workout in about 30 minutes. This is very good for me.

One of my goals this winter is to lift weights at least 1-2 times a week. This morning I had about 15 minutes so here is what I was able to hammer out.

Squat: 135 x 8 (2 sets)
Pull Ups - 2 sets of 5 between squats as my rest
DB Bench - 65 lbs x 8 (2 sets)
Bicep Curls - 45 lbx x 10 (2 sets)

It was not much, but it was a start. I need to make sure I incorporate legs and core more into the workout. I will gradually increase my lifting sets and workouts, but I plan to start small to avoid any unnecessary injuries.

It was a great start to my training. Only 32 more weeks to go until my big day. I still need to sign up to make it official, but my mind is set and that is the most important.

GETTING IT DONE! is back in effect and ready to rock and roll into 2012.

Have a great Monday!

Training - Wednesday Swim(Swim #2 of the week)

I was back in the pool this morning. I know I just swam Sunday and Monday, but I knew that if I did not get my swim in today, then my swim workout would not happen again this week. I jumped in to make sure I was able to complete my second swim workout this week. That leaves me with just some running and possibly a bike ride if weather holds up this weekend.

I swam a little longer than what I have been doing. I swam 30 laps or 1500 yards. It felt good to be in the pool swimming. I don't know if my technique is improving at all, but it sure feels like I am becoming a stronger swimmer. Part of this could just be my conditioning is improving and not so much technique, but I would like to think it is a combo of both.

I started out with some basic swimming to warm up and focus on breathing and kicking. Once my shoulders loosened up I worked on really extending. I did a couple of swim stroke counts throughout the workout and each time I was under 20 with a few around 15. That is a major improvement where before I was constantly over 20.

I worked out with the fins for some laps working on my kick. I have a good kick sometimes and when I get tired it completely falls apart.

I also tried the shark fin drill again, but I am so bad at this drill that I can only do it a few times before getting too frustrated and moving on.

A big step in my mind was that I could finally swim 100 yds without stopping. Don't get me wrong I am gassed by the time I finish, but when I started a two weeks ago I had to stop every 25 yds.

I also worked on the streamline position with only my kicks and then incorporating my strokes. I am really trying to get my kick better. I do fine when I only kick, but I throw in my arms and my legs start going all over. I am also working on rotating from my core more and not just my shoulders.

I like incorporating the swim into my workouts. I enjoy mixing things up. Once I have enough money for a trainer I will be able to add cycling to my training. I love knowing I have plenty of time to work on skill and technique.

I hope to dial in my race plans for 2012. I need to decide on my big races so then I can work backwards and plan my checkpoints to help me prepare. I am learning that I have so much to learn.

I plan to order my own fins this weekend. I look forward to having a day off. It will feel weird not working out, but I know my body is in need. I have been pushing it for a solid block of time and it is time to give it some downtime. What better timing than with Thanksgiving. I am not going to worry about what I eat or how much. I am going to indulge and live it up. I will refocus once again on Friday or Saturday depending on leftovers :)

Have a great Thanksgiving. We are hosting our first Thanksgiving so cooking and cleaning are in order for the next 48 hours.

Training - Tuesday Run With Crazies

I woke up this morning very sore. I was sore from two days of swimming. This body is not used to swimming and to go back to back days was bound to catch up to me. My knees and feet were also aching from the Living History Farms race and baskeball Sunday. I am glad I had the others to meet with because it would have been easy to skip this workout this morning. It really helps to have that support system built in where you feel like your letting down others and yourself by not showing up.

We met at BMS and four of us took off for a 6 mile course. We started off at around a 8:14 pace and just continued to pick up the pace. I am not sure why we kept running faster but we did. To be honest, it felt good to run a little faster. My body really found a nice stride this morning and the run worked out my aches and pains. We did not plan on running at this rate, but it sure was a nice push. Our mile splits continued to go down in time as mile 2 was 8:01, mile 3 7:41, mile 4 7:35, mile 5 7:31, and mile 6 coming in at 7:38. We were able to hold conversation so maybe it was not as fast as it seemed. Perhaps subconciously we all wanted an extra calorie burn knowing Thanksgiving will be here in a couple days. We finished the 6 miles in 46:49 for 7:47 pace.

The weather was not too bad. Temperature was fine, but we did have a light mist the whole run. It won't be long when that mist is snow. Great work Crazies and I will look forward to another run with you guys next week.

I have plans to workout tomorrow and then take two days off. My body needs a break. It is feeling really good, but if I don't give it time to just rest, then this feeling will turn sour fast.

I also did my weekly weigh in this morning. I was much more focused on my eating this week. I mentioned in a previous post that I was hoping to drop some weight after the week of training I had and the closer eye on the foods I have been eating. After gaining weight for three weeks I am happy to report that I dropped several pounds. I am actually the lowest weight I have been since I started charting back in June. My goal is not to lose weight. That is not my intentions at all with my training. My goals are to stay active and work on technique and strength over the winter months as I begin to pursue the world of triathlons. I have my eyes on completing either a half or full Ironman/Rev3 sometime next fall. Right now it is about gradual improvements in skill and technique. However, with that being said I don't want to gain a lot of weight. I need to maintain. After seeing my weight go up for three weeks I knew something needed to change. I worked on my mental toughness with my eating - I still had a free eat day on the weekend - and it worked out. It is nice to see results when you work hard.

Off for coffee and oatmeal. I am home with a sick child today. Strep throat and the flue are running rampant at both my school and here at home. Ava has finally recovered, but Aiden has now been the next victim. Sometimes staying home with three kids is double the work of being at school.

Training - Monday Swim

Here I am training for my 13th day in a row. My shoulders are sore from the swim class yesterday, but I wanted to get a swim in today because looking at my schedule for the week I don't know if I will have time to access a pool other than today. Despite being tired this morning I made my way to the pool and had a great workout session.

I swam 5 laps to warm up working on swimming slow and just focusing on my breathing and technique. I was trying to think about all things from the swim class yesterday. There is a lot to think about, but taking things one at a time really helps. Trying to put them all together is another story.

After my warm-up I put on fins for the first time to work on my kick. The fins really do help work on proper technique. I swam in the streamline position nice and easy just focusing on my kick. I am trying to drill it in my brain how to kick. I realize that the minute I add my arms into the mix my kick completely falls apart.

I also worked on swimming with the pull buoy this morning. I was trying to work on rotating my core along with my arms while swimming. I don't know if I was doing it right or not, but I know that I need more rotation in my body.

I also worked on the shark fin drill and the 6 kick drill. Between all the drills I swam regular to assess how I was doing. I noticed that when I get tired(which happens quickly) everything falls apart fast.

I did finish up the 40 lengths in about 30 minutes which is super fast compared to my previous times. I think my breathing and stamina is slowly improving. I stopped after 40 lengths because I know my shoulders need a rest.

After swimming I lift a few weights. Nothing much, but I did work a few sets of 10-12 on DB chest, DB incline bench, and bicep curls. I called it a day quickly as it was time to get home for the day.

Another great workout. I sure hope my weight has dropped some with the week I had. My weight has been going up the last few weeks, but I have done a much better job eating and obviously I have done more training than usual. Tomorrow the scale will let me know.

I plan on training by running with the Crazies tomorrow and something else on Wednesday before taking Thursday and Friday off. Those two days of rest will be well earned.

Training - Sunday 11.20.11 - Swim Class and Basketball

Sunday has been my 12th straight day of training and working out. I know I should have a break in there, but some of these days have been me doing some swimming(not very much) working on technique. I needed a day for rest, but Sunday was packed again.

I had my first triathlon swim class. This was a 1 hour swim class where I worked with Stacey Zapolski and Tara Christensen. There were five of us for this class. I learned many things that I need to work on.

• My kicking is terrible. My knees bend way too much. I have to correct this by working on kicking from my hips and not the knees. I find it hard to not bend at my knees and at the same time keep my ankles loose. I either am completely rigid like a board, or kick like a mad man.
• I need to swim with more of my core. I swim with my shoulders. I move my shoulders during my stroke, but my core/rest of the body does not move. I need to work on rotating my body while extending more on the stroke.
• I was able to get to the other end of the pool in 17 strokes. They said I should be down around 14. I have some work to do. When I swim on my own I am still up around 20 strokes.
• I need to reach in front and pull all the way to my leg.

These were some things that I walked away with to work on during the next month. I really need to dial in my kick. I am starting to notice it more and more.

Some drills that I need to work on to improve some of these skills are

• Streamline swim - hands out in front and just working on my kick. Breathing as needed, but not using my arms at all. I can also do this similar drill, but instead of the streamline position move my hands down to my sides.
• Swim on my back with hands at my sides. I don't like this drill because I am not comfortable on my back, but this really allows me to see my knees rising. It is a great drill to help me focus on kicking from my hips
• Shark Fin - not sure if this is the right name or not, but this is the toughest drill I have encountered. Basically, swim on your side for 6 kicks, one are extended looking forward. While kicking you are to bring elbow up out of water like you are ready to switch hands. You pump like that three times and then rotate. I cannot describe it any better, but I suck at this drill. Obviously, it is because I need work on it. I hope to get better by next month when we meet again.
• Kicking with fins. I have not used fins, but I know I need to. This will be something easy that I can incorporate.

Needless to say I love the challenge. I get frustrated that I cannot adapt as quickly as I would like, but this is something new for me and it is providing me something fresh in my workouts.

----------------------------

After my swim class I had to run to my car and drive over for my basketball game. I have not touched a basketball in quite some time. My cardio and conditioning was top notch, but my bball skills have decreased. It felt good to be on the court again. I took this time to work on sprint intervals and changing speed and direction. I could tell that I have not moved like this in quite some time and I could tell by the pain in my knees later.

Needless to say after the race Saturday and these two workouts today I am exhausted. It is a good tired, but I am ready for Thanksgiving to give my body a rest.

Board of Inspiration 11.21.11

This could easily be one of my favorites!!

Flat Classroom: A Week In The Life - project is highlighted by local newspaper

Came to school today in a mad rush as I was running late for a meeting. As I walked down the hallway many staff members were telling me about the nice article about my classroom. I finally grabbed hold of the newspaper to see a wonderful write up about the Bettendorf 5th Grade ELP students and their participation in the A Week In The Life project that I am also helping to manage and run.

Here is the the link to the article and the photos

Below is a video interview about the project.



You can find links to the project and all the great things happening on my Google Site

Living History Farms Race Recap

3:30 - Woke up to eat breakfast and get around. Fell back asleep after being up with Ava through the night.

3:52 - Got up and made coffee, ate french toast with turkey sausage


4:30 - Headed out the door to give myself time to find the place. I am terrible with directions so I wanted to be sure I planned accordingly. I also wanted to get there early to get a shirt in my size.

Packing for the elements and the unknown

Coffee is a must at 3:30 am

7:10 - Arrived and had to pee like nobody's business. Coffee and a jug of water will do that to you. When I got out of my car it was freezing cold! I was like thinking about why I decided to do this race.

7:15 - 7:30 - Waited in line to get inside to grab my registration materials. During this time I realized that my ankle was killing me. I had not had any injuries or aches in quite some time so I was not too happy. I later realized I am just getting old and my joints need time to warm up.

7:45 - 8:00 - Went back to my car, blasted the heat and put on my bib and timing chip. Finally, I just sucked it up and went outside. I did not drive 2.5 hours to sit in my vehicle.

8:00 - I went out for a warm up run. I did 1 mile, but stopped along the way to check out the Living History Farms, the water, the hills, etc. I had a blast just exploring. This helped me warm up. I am glad I did this because I was bundled up and I was able to find out that I did not need all the clothes I had on.

Me contemplating the hills and water on warm up run

One of the many creeks to cross

Hills like these just kill the legs after 4-5 miles of running

I ran this as  warm up to prep for the race.

Seeing coffee, pumpkin bars, cookies, chocolate, donuts before the race almost made me not race and just eat!

8:25 - Final stop at car to shed clothes. I ended up running in shorts and long sleeve compression shirt. Made my way to the starting chute. There were 7500 runners and tons of spectators.

9:00 - The race began.

This race was awesome. I ran way better than expected. My goal was to try and run a 8:00 mile pace overall. This means I would have to run faster than 8:00 to accomodate the creeks and hill climbs. I was not sure if this was going to be feasible as I learned from doing the Governor's Run a few weeks back that I am not trained for off terrain runs. Also, I have not ran 7 miles or more since October 25th. It has been about a month since I have ran 7 miles, let alone on farm land, hills, forests, mud, and creeks.

I ended up running 55:42 for my official time. I finished 347th overall and 39th in my division. There was not a mat at the start so everyone started with the same start time no matter when you actually go to the starting line. I started my Garmin right before the start and my time on my watch was 54:45. I spent at least the first minute at a walk or super slow jog. You can see the image above of the start. It is hard to see, but this mass of people goes on forever.

My mile pace ended up being 7:49. I was quite surprised. I was not expecting to run this pace. I jumped out fast. There were a lot of fast runners. I started off mile 1 at a 7:49 pace. I looked at my watch and thought "Oh boy!". I knew I started slow due to the amount of people. To have this mile time for mile 1 meant I must have been moving way faster than planned to have this mile split. Mile 2 I ran 7:28. At this point I was feeling fantastic, but in the back of my mind I knew I was going to hit a wall. Being my last race of the year I thought I would just push to see what I had. Mile 3 was where we finally hit the first creek. Up to this point we were running in fields, farmland, and some small timber. Mile 3 I was cruising even fast at 7:05. This was stupid. I was so caught up with the people. I could not believe how fast everyone was so I just tried to maintain my groove. The first creek was a nice depth and it quickly froze the toes and legs. Running in wet shoes is always an unique experience.

Mile 4 I started to slow down as we made our way into the forests and trying to follow a small path. I was still cruising at 7:36. From here we hit a major hill/bank and some creeks and this wiped me out. We were also doing some serious up and down climbing so I slowed to 8:11 for mile 5. This was to be expected with my previous pace and also due to the terrain. Mile 6  I dropped even more to 8:31. There were more creeks and nothing was easy about this mile. I started to hit the wall I was dreading. I fought through it. Mile 7 was creek heavy. There was water it seemed like all the time with a nice long slowly increasing hill in a field to get us back to the finish. I knocked out mile 7 in 8:00. I was gassed. I had nothing left.

Just a little mud remains on the face!

Post race food was the best!

Is there a better reward?

Spectators and fans were everywhere!

This bib will be a reminder of the great times of this race.

More mud

Can you tell where my shoes and mud met?

This was a fantastic race. I loved it. I am enjoying the trail runs more and more. The 7 miles flew by as you are always checking out your next step, the landscape, or watching other runners. I was a muddy mess. At one creek crossing the bank to get back on the path was about 10-12 feet high. The runner in front of me lost his grip and flung so much mud right in my face. I only had to laugh.

I was very happy with my time. I have progressed so much as a runner. Being that I have not been following a plan or any structure the last month or so I will take this time. I wonder had I been following a plan of some sort how much faster I could have gone. I looked up my Bix time from this summer and I remember being so impressed with myself running that race in 52:36. This race I was only a few minutes off of that with a landscape much different and a workout that did not exist.


This is why I race. I don't always feel like I am making gains during my training, but signing up for races allows me to see my progression. I will be signing up for this race again next year. It was well put together. The spectators were awesome. They were everywhere and cheered for everyone.

I was quite sore when I got home after sitting in the car for 2.5 hours. I did take a power nap. GETTING IT DONE! was accomplished again.

 347   39 M30  Aaron Maurer, 30, Bettendorf, IA           55:42 

Living History Farms Race - Pre Race

I am getting ready to head out the door to discover another hopefully super awesome race. Headed to bed around 10:00 last night after watching Bettendorf Football at state. Ava decided to wake up and be loud last night from around 1:00 - 2:00. My alarm went off at 3:30 and I was up at 3:52.

GU packed. iPhone packed. Change of clothes packed. Coffee and Water packed. Garmin packed. New music playlist for the drive downloaded. Breakfast packed.

I am ready. I will post the results of the race later. I will be supporting my Live Uncommon shirt for the race. T-Minus 5 hours until GETTING IT DONE! begins at the Living History Farms Race.

Board of Inspiration 11.18.11

Training - 1 Day Until LHF Race - Swim Workout

Jumped in the pool this morning to work on my swimming technique. I honestly lost count of how many lengths I did so I will side on the error and go with 20 laps, but I think I did 25(50 lengths). I was in the pool for 40 minutes.

I had two objectives for today. First, I wanted to continue to work on the drills and techniques that I learned from last weekend. Second, I wanted to work on my stamina by not having to stop each time I swam one length.

I worked on all the drills of swimming: breathing(3,5,and 7 strokes, pull buoy, board to focus on my kicks, keeping my head up and looking forward, and really extending my reach.

I was able to get down and back without stopping, but after a few times doing this I really had a hard time with a lack of oxygen. I know this will come with time and practice, but being that I cannot swim 50 meters without breathing heavy I have a hard time visualizing swimming 1-2 miles. I have some major ground to cover. I also know that my stamina can be improved later once I fix my swim technique.

I am excited for my race tomorrow. The weather shall prove interesting. There is a chance of rain along with 15-25 mile an hour winds. I am still trying to figure out how to dress for this race. I was thinking shorts as running through creeks pants would get wet and I would have to continue to run in wet pants where bare legs would dry faster. I need to prep tonight as 3:30 am will be here soon when I am up and preparing to leave.


Happy Friday everyone!

Board of Inspiration 11.16.11

Here is the board from yesterday. I forgot to post it. Enjoy!

Board of Inspiration 11.17.11

Training - 2 Days Until LHF Race - 5.26 Miles With Two Crazies

Three of us were up early this morning for our run starting out at PVHS. It was another cold morning of 20 degrees. We took for a 5 mile run around town. We ended up running 5.26 miles in 42:18.

It was another good run. I have had three great runs this week so I am feeling good heading into my race this weekend. My body feels fresh once I get warmed up. I am not sure what the temp or weather will be like, but I will embrace it all.

After our first mile of 8:40 we ran the next four miles all under a 8 minute pace. It is nice to run a different run and to run with others. I know I said that last week, but it really breaks the week up.

Heading towards the pool tomorrow for a swim workout to round out the weekly workouts. I will take a day off of running to give my legs a rest for the run Saturday.

Don't forget to follow Jeff Paul this weekend as he is ready to tackle Ironman Arizona. He has been training like a machine for this race. If you need a reminder that we could all pick up or fitness levels head over to his blog and read what he has been doing for his training for this IMAZ while being a teacher, father, and husband. He is an inspiration to many. I will be following his race. I look forward to checking out the race with the GPS devices tagged on the pros.

Have a great Thursday. Continue GETTING IT DONE!

Training - 3 Days Remaining Until LHF Race - BRRRR! Cold 5 Miles

Wowsers was it cold this morning. This was the first run where I really needed a pair of gloves. I ordered a pair of running gloves but they do not arrive until next week. I really wanted to get in a 7 mile run this morning but I fell back asleep for about 20 minutes after my alarm so I was not able to get out at an earlier than normal start time to accomplish this. In hindsight it was probably a good thing I did not go 7 miles today as I have a very busy week of excercise and training through Sunday.

Instead I went out for a 5 mile run. I wanted to go nice and easy, but it was just too cold to be out any longer than needed. I started off slow around 8:22 for the first mile and slowly warming up for a 8:05 second mile. By this point I decided to slowly pick up the pace to get the run done. Mile 3 was 7:50, mile 4 7:38, and mile 5 was 7:32. I was feeling really good running. I could have kept going. I hope I feel the same way Saturday for my race.

One spot on my leg left has been nagging me lately. The tendon/ligament/whatever on the outside of my leg right above my ankle bone has been giving me some sharp pains while out running. I need to keep an eye on this as I continue to run.

I finished up the 5.2 mile run in 40:56 for 7:52 pace. I will knock out another run tomorrow, swim Friday, race Saturday, swim Sunday, play basketball Sunday, and then collapse Sunday night. GETTING IT DONE! in November will only make Thanksgiving taste that much better!

Board of Inspiration 11.15.11

Training - 4 Days Until LHF Race - A Day in the Pool

This morning I worked out in the pool instead of on the pavements of Bettendorf. I recently had my first swim class over the weekend with a great coach/instructor who gave me some drills and techniques to work on to improve my swimming. Today I decided to swim 40 lengths and during that time I worked on her suggestions.

One of the things that I need to work to improve upon is the number of swim strokes it takes me to swim one length. When I started my session over the weekend I was around 20 strokes and by the end of the session she had me down to around 17 strokes. When I get better on my technique she thought I could get it down to around 15 strokes. Today I was focusing on how many strokes it took me and I was back around 20. I could not get it reduced. This is a sign that I must not be extending enough and really reaching.

I also worked on my kick. I used the board and focused on my kick. I did not use flippers so this was a good workout on the legs. I would go down and back working on my kick around every 10 lengths. I did fine while kicking with the board, but as soon as I brought everything together I know my kick fell apart. This is going to be my biggest thing to overcome.

I worked on the six stroke drill where I placed one arm straight ahead, kick six times, and then switched arms. This drill is tough for me. I cannot get my breathing down and I find it difficult. This is a drill that I need to continue to work on as the reason it is hard is because I have much to work on.

Another thing I did was swim regular while working on my breathing. I swam down and back breathing every 3 strokes. Then I would repeat breathing every 5 strokes and then 7 strokes. The 7 strokes is tough. I am good swimming down, but coming back is killer. I need to develop my lung capacity and swimming without oxygen.

Lastly, I used the pull buoys to work on my stroke. This is a great drill. I can really focus on extending and not kicking. I do pretty good when I am not kicking.

Overall, this was a productive session on my own. I worked on all the things from the session I had this weekend. I just need to become more comfortable in water and realize that progress is going to be slowly. I am glad I am starting now to give myself the rest of November and all December to work on technique before I really start to jump into any sort of training program.

This workout kicked my butt. I was tired when I finished. I swam 1000 meters which is not quite a mile. A mile is 1600 meters so I would still have 24 more laps for one mile. I cannot imagine swimming 1.2 miles for a half Ironman/Rev3 without stopping as here I was today stopping after every 25 meters. One day at a time, but my goals are big and so is my determination. GETTING IT DONE! just got a lot more interesting.

Training - 5 Days Until LHF Race - 6 Mile Morning Run

After a very long night of dealing with Ava who was literally up all night crying, squirming, throwing up, etc. I was almost excited to jump out of bed to run. I was not sure how my body was going to do on the run with little sleep and still being sore from last week.

I had hoped to get in 25 miles of running last week, but ended up with only 18 miles. I did add a swim workout in there which was new to me. My feet were tender on Sunday and also this morning from the swim workout as my feet and calves kept cramping during the swim.

I headed out to BMS to meet the morning crazies. There were only two of us this morning. Many of the crazies ran this weekend in the Wildcat 50k or other races and I think they needed  day off. I know our group is going to be nice sized running group once we can get everyone dialed in and on the same page. With winter around the corner the race season is about over so we should be all ready to rock.

We knocked out 6 miles in 48:47 for a 8:08 mile pace. This was a nice pace that allowed for some good conversation. It was the perfect run that I needed. I don't know if my body was ready to be pushed. This what I needed - some good exercise to get my mind cleared and to knock out some good miles on Monday.

I am down to 5 days until my race. I am excited to run something new and fresh. Aiden is having his first sleepover on Friday so Amanda and I will not be going up Friday for a getaway weekend as we had hoped for. I will be getting up around 3 am and drive the 3 hour drive to get to the starting line on time.

I hope I can stay healthy. I have been battling a cold, but my family has been dealing with much worse so I hope to avoid all the illness so I feel fresh on Saturday. I hope to jump in the pool tomorrow to work on some techniques that I was told to work on during my swim lesson.

Training - Saturday Run and Swim - 7 Days Until LHF Race

Yesterday I had added a new chapter to my training routine. I jumped out in the afternoon for a quick 3 mile run just to flush out the fatigue in my legs. I felt tired. I have been fighting a cold and it has been taking a toll on me, but I felt the need to get a run in so I kept it short and just knocked out a 3 mile loop. I ran all in grass to help prepare for the race course next weekend. I ran the 3 miles in 23:18 for a 7:40 pace.

About 40 later I was at Augustana for my first swim lesson. I had contacted Stacey Zapolski to see if she would be willing to help me out. I have my eyes on the field of triathlons, but in order to do so I need help with my swimming. Stacey agreed to meet with me and give me some tips.

I was nervous prior to swimming because swimming is not something I am comfortable with because I don't feel like I am a strong swimmer. Working with Stacey for about 45 minutes I jumped out of the pool knowing some techniques and drills that I can work on to improve my swim stroke. She was awesome to work with. I really appreciated her taking time out of her day to meet with me.

I had a great day of training. I have things to work on for my running and now the element of swimming. Starting on my swimming now gives me all winter to really focus on technique. I would like conquer a half Ironman/Rev3 or full Ironman/Rev3 next fall. This is a very large goal with many things for me to learn quickly. However, if I take things one at a time I think I could accomplish this goal. I just need to learn more about swimming and biking and then sit down in the next month and really hash out a plan. The plan will have to work for me, my wife, my three kids, and all the things that come with being a father and husband. Training for something of this magnitude is a serious time commitment so I want to make sure that I have the support of my family before going all in. I am excited.

I need one more good run in today, but not sure if I will be able to get it in. I know my body feels tired from running 4 straight days, a day of swimming, and not having good sleep with some sick kids. I have a run with the group of "Crazies" tomorrow morning so I shall see what comes of things. The last thing I need to do now is wear my body out before my race this weekend.

Keep pursuing your goals and dreams. Don't lose sight of want you to accomplish and strive for GETTING IT DONE!

What Every Teacher Fears......

Seeing a full moon in the sky only means one thing......

Hold on tight because the kids are going to be off the walls.

Training - 8 Days until LHF Race - A Cold One Today

My hands are still numb as I type this post. I feel like a gorilla at a keyboard. It was cold this morning. I was tired this morning as two of my kids were up with a terrible cough all night. By the time I actually fell into a deep sleep it was time wake up. I fell back asleep after my alarm, but found a way to wake up and get up to run.

I wanted to get 5 miles in this morning. My legs felt tired after running the last two days and battling a cold myself. I knew I needed to pick up the pace just a little bit to get my run in on time as I was late getting started.

Once I warmed up it felt great to be out running. It was a very peaceful morning with the full moon out to light the way. I ran 5.19 miles in 40:42 for 7:51 pace running the last mile at 7:32 pace.

I am feeling good going into my race next weekend. I am hoping for one more run this week, maybe two if I can squeeze it in. I am also off to learn how to swim. That should prove rather interesting. I contacted a person to give me some tips. I know I will make a fool of myself for sure, but the only way to get better is to jump in and practice.

Have a great Friday! We survived this week that felt like it would never end. Off for some coffee and oatmeal.

Board of Inspiration 11.10.11

No Shave November 11.10.11

All this hair is what I am going to blame on my poor swim times this weekend as I begin to try out swimming.

Training - 9 Days Until LHF Race

Great morning for a run! When I was first outside I thought it was rather chilly, but once we took off it made for some great running weather.

I met up with some PV teachers/runners at PVHS this morning. It was a great time. It felt nice to be out running with other people and not just myself lost in the shuffle of my iPod. It was also nice to be out running a different course to mix things up.

 One of the great things about the running world is the community of runners. There are so many great people to connect with. The time went by pretty fast this morning. We ended up running 6 miles in 48:53 for 8:07 pace which was a nice easy pace. We actually saw quite a few other crazy people out running as well.

The run helped me feel better as well. The last few days my body has been fighting a little head cold and some chest congestion. I always feel great after a little exercise. I felt really good after the run.

I hope to have a few more mornings like this before the snow and ice comes. We had the snow coming down yesterday, but thank goodness it did not stick.

Looking ahead to race it is going to be here before I know it. Being a 7 mile course and one that you cannot really get too caught up in time I will not have much of a taper. I hope to finish up this week with some more good miles and look to get healthy and rested for next weekend.

I am off to make coffee and attend to this toe of mine that decided to do some bleeding this morning. Have a great Thursday.

Board of Inspiration 11.9.11

No Shave November 11.9.11

Training - Treadmill Run, How I Overcame My Hatred For These Devices

Woke up this morning to another awakening of rain and wind. It was very difficult to get out of bed. Something about this weather and the darkness just makes me actually want to sleep in(which I rarely do). I got up and started to figure out what I was going to do.

I had not run the last two days after one day of rest and yesterday due to the rain. I was walking around making excuses about why I could not run today. Then I finally stopped myself from making excuses because that is just being weak minded. I counted down my days until my race(10 days) and began to focus on what needs to be done in order for me to feel good about a good performance on November 19th.

I had to break down the mental wall of running on a treadmill. I have developed this massive hatred for this piece of equipment. I have had a past of these things just turning off on me while running. I am not able to view a TV while running on these things as I always start running off the side and falling off even if the TV is directly in front of me. Last, I just love being outside for my runs.

I got myself gathered and drove to the Y. I made myself get on a treadmill and run. As luck would have it I could not get the first two to start and finally the third one worked. By this point in the morning I was already behind schedule as it took me a little longer to get going(mental barrier) and then finally getting on a treadmill that works.

I had to make up some ground so as I started running I just increased the speed 1/2 mph every 5 minutes to see where it would take me. At the 25 minute mark I was running at 8 mph, then 20 at 8.5, 15 minutes at 9, 10 minutes at 9.5, and finally 5 minutes at 10 where I took the last 90 seconds to decrease my speed slowly so it was not a full 5 minutes at 10 mph. This was a great workout.

I was able to get in 4 miles in 29:33 for 7:23 pace. I ran my mile splits at 8:29, 7:39, 6:56, and 6:26. I have not ran at this pace in a long time. Yes, I know the treadmill is flat unlike outdoors, but it still felt good to see that I still have what it takes to run 4 miles under 30 and finish feeling good and not depleted.

So I overcame my hatred. I still don't love treadmills because staring at a wall sucks. But, sticking to my mantra of GETTING IT DONE! I did what needed to be done.

Coffeechug Tumblr - A New Question Posted For You To Answer

http://coffeechug.tumblr.com/

GETTING IT DONE! - ITBS Cheerleaders and Keeping Your Brain Fresh

This is the time of year when I think that it can be very hard to stay motivated in whatever pursuits one is tackling. With the change in weather moving to the winter phase of seasons to people just being so busy it is hard to stay the course.I know I have had a hard time trying to stay focused on my weight by not eating like a slob every single day. I have slowly gotten back on course, but it is hard. My training is okay which is fine this time of year as it is more about maintenance than improvement.  It is darker longer and that does not help matters at all.

I think it is important to mix things up. Try something new. It does not have to be drastic, but just enough to keep things interesting.

For example, yesterday myself and three other teachers took one for the team and dressed up like cheerleaders for an assembly for our school. Yes, we made a fool of ourselves, but it was fun and not as bad as it seems.

Why don't we compile a list of things people can do to mix things up.

- shampoo your hair with the opposite hand

-take a shower backwards

-draw with your opposite hand

-doodle a bending heart

-run a new route

What other ideas do you have that we could add to the list? Leave them in the comments below

GETTING IT DONE! - How Bad Do You Want It?

How bad do you want it? As I watched this video while I make the excuse of not running because it was raining outside.






















This is the same video but with the video different than just the guy talking. Both are fantastic.

Project Based Learning - Project Tuning Experience Enhances My Skills and Appreciation For My Fellow Colleagues

To start off the week I facilitated another project tuning session for a teacher. It went really well. I thought it went even better than the previous one I was part of last week. This is no way a slam to the other session, but a credit to the teachers who continue to take part and become better at this process.

For this session there were a few things that helped to make it run much smoother that I think needs to be incorporated into other project tunings.

1. Variety of staff - I think this is essential. It is imperative to conduct a project tuning with a good mix of teachers with different backgrounds. This session contained language arts teachers, an art teacher, a science teacher, and a gifted education teacher. Having different types of teachers with different types of background and thought processes really helps the teacher who is project tuning receive feedback from all angles. The previous one I ran contained almost all the same subject teachers at the same grade level. I think this can sometimes hurt because for so many years we as a staff have been trained and forced to work on the same page, do the same thing, test the same way, etc. that we were missing that broad spectrum of insight. However, I do think that as the staff continues to project tune and get better at the process we will get to a point where it won't really matter who attends because we will all be able to do the sessions correctly. At this stage in the game, we need diversity and this was proven this morning.

2. Essential Question - Another key element is for the teacher to bring up the key question or struggle they currently don't have an answer for. This really helps the group focus on what the teacher needs to get out of the session. By providing this roadblock in the project development the group can spend the time needed to help move the teacher over the hurdle. Getting that question is tough and sometimes be instant which leads me to.....

3. Overview Phase - I think the initial step is vital for the discussion. One difference between the two sessions I ran is that the first one I did not force the teacher to continue to talk for the entire time. This time I did(thanks Ben) and because of that the teacher shed some of her struggles which really helped frame the rest of the discussion.

4. Proper Time - we had to shorten the time, but one thing we discussed was to make sure we hold true to the Discussion time of 10 minutes. This is probably the most important phase for the teacher who is sitting outside the circle taking notes. We ran into the issue of not having enough time for everyone to speak due to time constraints(we used 7 minutes). 10 minutes is a must. This means we have to shed some minutes elsewhere and we have yet to find a perfect system.

As I review how I did as a facilitator I realize that I still have much work to do. I am learning new things each time. This is what I love about our staff. Working with a new group today I gained a whole new sense of appreciation for the amazing people in our building. With time to work with some of them I was able to learn more about myself and also how to become a better facilitator. Working with some of the same teachers from the last session I think we already improved on our questioning techniques and we are so excited to teach again. We have all found a renewed sense of excitement and I love it.

One thing that arose was the Step Up/Step Back idea. I need to find a good way of bringing to light these issues. Maybe just a reminder at the beginning ensuring that

• Everyone has a chance for their voice to be heard.
• Making sure everyone Steps Up and is not afraid to voice their ideas. Some of the timid teachers could have the best ideas and we need to hear them.
• Making sure that if someone or some people are really occupying the air that they Step Back to allow others to contribute. I am guilty of this. I also have ideas(not always good ones) and I hate silence so I am first to jump in when I need to learn to step back.

This is my little reflection on another project tuning. I like to always spend time reflecting as I think it is important to me to becoming better at what I want to do. I have a long ways to go, but with each tuning I only hope to get better.

Board of Inspiration 11.7.11

No Shave November: 11.7.11

With my receding hairline I have taken another photo to show that yes I do grow a little hair on my head.

Governor's Run: More pictures and video

This must have been taken while waiting instructions. I have the look of question on my face wondering what I have gotten myself involved in. I later find out it is one of the best races I have participated in.

More pics from the race here






















I am off the left joining the masses preparing for the first mud hole which I was stuck in for quite some time due to my terrible landing.

Here is a video of the race and also the end. I think I pop up around the 16:50 mark as I finish.

Training - 13 Days Until LHF Race

A nice quick post about training today. I did not run. My body is sore from head to toe from the Governor's Run yesterday. The back of my right knee is pretty tender. I must have tweaked it a little during the run.

I got up and headed to the Y for some upper body weights. I have not lifted in a while so it felt good to mix things up and toss around some weights. I can't half of what I used to be able to do so that is motivation to start weight training more this winter.

Many fitness goals in my mind for the winter. Love it. Never lose your passion for life and bettering yourself. Continue striving for my mantra of GETTING IT DONE!

Governor's Run

GETTING IT DONE!

Last night I decided to go and run this race today. I really thought this was going to be a 4 mile run. I was not worried about time and just wanted to end the week with some good miles. I got myself around wearing my Live Uncommon gear and was ready to check out this race I knew literally nothing about.


This morning I learned that I need duct tape on my shoes. So, I applied some duct tape to my shoes. It proved to be somewhat helpful as my shoestrings never got in the way and get them from getting all junked up. I later learned that many duct tape their ankles and then connect it to the tape on their shoes. This ensures that you don't lose your shoes in the mud. Right away I realized the benefits to this. One kid was running with only shoe after the first mud jump.

Duct tape on the shoes

I learned how not to jump in mud. I jumped at an angle where my legs went in ahead of my body. I had a very hard time getting out because I kept falling backwards. I was immersed in mud way past my knees. This was a great start. I had already started slow as the beginning of the race was pretty bottled up. However, this later proved to be okay.

I also learned that this race is not 4 miles as broadcast. I always took the "shortcuts" along the way. These shortcuts may be shorter, but not always easier. I always took them because I felt like getting dirty and muddy along the way.

I also learned that trail running is tough. I have never ran on trails before. Ever! Can you believe that? This terrain was all brand new to me. Running up hills and then descending in a zig zag patter was tough. My knees and feet and my legs muscles were used in ways they have never been used before. And I loved it.

The course ended up being 6.2 miles for me. I know each person runs their own distance depending on what trail they decided to run on. It took me 62 minutes to complete according to my watch.  I really wish I had a camera with me on the run to record some pics of the scenery. It was awesome.

One shortcut lead me through these wonderful things and thorns

My hands after the race. Cold and muddy

I saw some familiar faces out on the course. I saw many of PVXC girls out there in complete mud carrying a wagon and a broken skateboard(I think). There were also many Bettendorf XC girls as well. So great to see them out running. I some a few other Live Uncommon members also.

I had a blast. This is one of the best races I have been part of. I know I could have ran faster, but there were times when the trails were just too bottled up to go around. What is so great about this race is that it is not about time. It was a reminder to sometimes run without worrying about time or tempo.

This was the race I needed. It really helped me get out and really enjoy running. I have not had that enjoyment lately. This was also great practice for my Living History Farms Race coming up in about 2 weeks. People tell me it is a lot like this race, but better which means harder and muddier. I think I have found a new race to consider - mud runs and adventure racing.

Congrats to everyone who ran today. Everyone accomplished GETTING IT DONE!

GETTING IT DONE!

No Shave November 11.6.11

Training - 13 Days Until LHF Race and Governor's Run Tomorrow

I have to give much credit to my wife who help motivate me get out the door tonight to get my miles in. I did not get up and run as planned this morning(I was however quite productive doing other required tasks). Amanda found the strength to get out and run this evening as the sun was going down way too early. I had to follow suit and get my run in.

I wanted a 10 mile run today. Instead I went for a 5-6 mile run. Right before leaving to run I decided on the spot that I am going to run the Governor's Run tomorrow which sounds quite interesting. I found out tonight to put duct tape on my shoes and to wear gloves for the ropes. I have no idea what I have signed up for, but tomorrow afternoon I will discover what this 4 mile run all entails. I am excited. I don't have a time goal of any sort. I honestly know anything about the course besides it is 4 miles of trail and natural and man made obstacles along the way. It sounds like a mess and a load of fun.

Tonight on my run I wanted to run a little faster than normal, but nothing to wear me out for the race tomorrow. I wanted to find my threshold where running was still very easy so I can use that pace as a ceiling for tomorrow. I ran 5.1 miles in 39:29 for a 7:43 pace. My goal tomorrow is to run faster than that(excluding obstacles).

It was beautiful weather. I was actually hot running. How often can one say that in Iowa in November? I am going back to the football games and to prep for my race in T-Minus14 hours. Let the good times roll.

Keep working hard to accomplish GETTING IT DONE!

Project Based Learning - Project Tuning Experience

Say what? Project Tuning? Count us in!!!!!

Friday afternoon I met over my prep period with some other educators in my building to run a Project Tuning session for one of the projects a teacher needed help with. This is an amazing process that we learned when we visited High Tech High in San Diego.

We have now sent two sets of teachers out to San Diego and most have come back really excited for project based learning. This particular aspect of project based teaching is one of the best things I have experienced.

This past Friday, I was privileged enough to be the facilitator of the session. It was a great learning experience for myself as I had to be the one to run time and also keep teachers on track. I found myself feeling like a student again and I loved it.

I will post and share the steps that are involved in a Project Tuning session in a future post, but for now I want to share some things that I reflected on when I went back and wrote down some notes about the experience.

• Project Tuning allows teachers to receive a mass amount of information and ideas in a limited amount of time without feeling berated or talked down to.
• Project Tuning really forces the teacher who has presented the project to really think deep about their project.
• Project Tuning is a process that will really unite the staff as we all work together to help each other become better at what we do.
• Project Tuning makes teachers more aware of what is happening in the classrooms and also brings in a personal investment into the teaching process and classroom of others.
• Project Tuning really helps keep teachers focused on the task at hand without wandering off topic which then leads to teachers walking away from a meeting without getting much accomplished

To elaborate on these key points I think that this is one of the most important processes I have ever been exposed to. Going through a few of these now I feel so connected to what some teachers are teaching and I can honestly say I have never felt that way before. In the past I simply did not have time to find out what others were doing and frankly did not care. Now, I walk away from a project tuning session and am excited about what others are doing. I will be following up on their projects. I will be checking in on the final projects. It is an element that is needed among staff members. We should care what others are doing.

I also think that the project tuning really gives people time to really think deeply about their project. With people constantly asking questions and discussing the project you walk away with many things to think about. It is a safe environment where everyone is really interested in helping the teacher out. There becomes an instant connection among the people involved.

Project tuning will bring staff together. As teachers start to project tune and mix and match with various teachers the staff will come together. Right now we get stuck only talking with members of our house or department. This process brings in all types of teachers to give the teacher a wide range of perspectives. This allows teachers to work and converse with other teachers who they simply don't have time to see and meet with in our typical day. The unification will only make our school and teaching better.

As a facilitator I learned a few things myself. It is imperative that as a facilitator that one is not afraid to step in and get the teachers back on track. This can be hard as we are all educators. It does not make the facilitator more powerful when the meeting is over, but you will need someone to be able to interject and refocus the group. This is harder than it seems. I have big hopes to being a great facilitator. It is becoming a passion of mine. I have some improvements to make, but after one session I started to learn some techniques to help refocus. I could have done better, but this will come with time. As teachers, we can sometimes be the worst audience and the worse at following directions. In this process we all have so much that we want to share. As a facilitator it is important that things are shared at the right step and that teachers adhere to the process. In many ways we are just like the students we teach(and sometimes we are the ones that are just like the students that drive us crazy!!!)

I have not been able to stop thinking about the experience. I think it went smooth. I have written down in my reflection book some things I need to do better as a facilitator. I have two more project tuning sessions next week so I look forward to working on my goals I have set for myself.

I cannot wait to see how this project develops that I sat in on. We have some amazing teachers and this project tuning session will allow us to realize how powerful our staff really is.

No Shave November 11.5.11

It has only been five days and already I think I might go insane. I am  not sure if I can go the whole month without shaving. I cannot stand hair. It makes me feel dirty. Plus my face itches and it reminds me of how much my bald spots have increased in size.