Achieving Your Dreams - It's Possible

This week I saw my daughter take her first steps as an adult who makes the right decisions and is not afraid to chase her dreams.  Most people are usually too afraid to try to make their dreams a reality.  They worry that they might have their dreams thwarted, discouraged, or unachieved. They tend to believe that they might not have what it takes to make their dreams come true.  Maybe they don't.  But as I learned from my daughter this week, that’s what taking risks is all about.  And  those who take the risk many times end up reaping the reward.

Throughout my life, I have met only a handful of people who actually like their job.   And even fewer who would say they are actually working their dream job.  I have come to the conclusion that this is because they were unwilling or advised by others that their dreams were unrealistic or unachievable.  Instead of listening to their heart and following their true passions, they followed a path outlined by their parents or peers which led them to an unsatisfactory position in life.  My daughter on the other hand has found her passion and is doing everything she can to land a job where she knows she will be happy.  It is the one thing she would do for the rest of her life for free - work for Disney.

She wants to be a performer at Disneyworld.  She has been attending TCU as a Theater Studies major and has learned so many things that have prepared her to land her dream job.  She has created her own unique path which takes courage.   She knows that chasing this dream is not easy.  She is expecting to fail along the way but she won't lose faith because she knows that if it was easy it wouldn't be worth chasing.   This week she took the first big step on the path to achieving her dream.

She follows the Disney Auditions website.  She noticed that they had an audition for an equity show at Disneyworld.  The audition was for Ariel in a Little Mermaid show.  She is in her Senior year at TCU and could not start until after she graduates.  But she wanted to fly to Orlando and audition any way.  She told us that even if she didn't get cast it would allow her to see what the process is like and get her name in front of the casting directors.  Then the next time she auditioned she would be even better for knowing what to expect.  If nothing else, she is committed to always chase her dream.  Even if she failed this time, she knows that it is always better to try and fail than to not try at all.

She found a flight that worked with her school schedule.  Then spoke with her professor to let him know she would be missing his class.  She arranged to stay at a friend's house while in Orlando.  And all within a 24 hour period.  The next time we hear from her she was at the airport on her way to Disneyworld.  Now that is commitment to following your dream.

She made it to Orlando and the audition.  I won't bore you with the details of the audition process.  She made it through 2 rounds.  She was so excited about the experience.  After dreaming about auditioning for Disney for many years she finally did it.  She was able to sing twice for the casting directors which was itself a dream come true.  When we spoke to her later, I could still see the afterglow of excitement.   Even though she didn't get cast this time, I know she is going to make it.  She has told me over and over again that no matter how crazy or big your dreams are, they are possible.  After this experience, she knows that it's possible.

I am so proud of her.  It is a great example for others to follow.  It is a good lesson that can teach us all that  you don’t need to be perfect or even the best. Instead you simply have to have the courage to try.  We all must choose our own destiny and find our true passion.  The book of our life starts out with the pages blank and our story is unwritten.  It is our job to find a pen and start writing.  I for one cannot wait to read my daughter's story.

"Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe."

Gail Devers, Three Time Olympic Track Champion

Sept. 28 – 6.10 miles (54:48, 8:59 pace)
Sept. 29 – 6.20 miles (57:01, 9:12 pace)
Oct. 1 – 6.20 miles (58:46, 9:29 pace)
Oct. 2 – 3.20 miles (28:57, 9:03 pace) - Sugarland, TX
Oct. 3 – 5.10 miles (54:24, 10:40 pace) - Trail Run
Oct. 4 – 6.20 miles (56:37, 9:08 pace)
Oct. 5 – 5.10 miles (46:40, 9:09 pace) - Plymouth Meeting, PA
Oct. 6 – 4.10 miles (37:57, 9:16 pace) - Plymouth Meeting, PA
Oct. 8 – 5.00 miles (49:08, 9:50 pace) - Bethesda, MD
Oct. 9 – 5.20 miles (45:34, 8:46 pace) - Hanover, MD
Oct. 10 – 4.20 miles (50:24, 12:00 pace) - Trail Run
Oct. 11 – 8.10 miles (1:22:18, 10:02 pace)

Total Miles:  69.8 miles
2015 Total Miles:  1,524.7 miles

Running and Memories

This past Wednesday was Yom Kippur.  It is commonly known as the Day of Atonement for the Jewish people.  I enjoy the services on Yom Kippur.  I don't think most Jews would say the same.  On Yom Kippur, we Jews contemplate our death.  It is a day of total fasting as we do not eat or drink symbolizing that we are already gone from this Earth.   As the day wears on, we become physically feeble reminding us that youth is fleeting.  We begin to understand that eventually our bodies will wear out and we will pass on.  The suffering of aging becomes physically real.   Then as the day nears its end, we remember our dead during the Yizkor service.  It is the final moments where we prepare ourselves for our own end.  We pray fervently that it does not come for many years but we know that it is inevitable.

This year during the Yizkor service our Rabbi spoke about the pain of loss.  He talked about how he missed hearing his Mother's voice and how he wished he could see her one more time.  I have had my share of losses in this life.  Too many of my family and friends have lost their battle with cancer.  No matter how long it has been, I find myself thinking about someone who is no longer with us.  It is then that I realize that they are still a big a presence in my life and not just a faint echo from the past.  I know that each of them helped to shape my life and define who I am as a person.  I believe that the Rabbi was letting us know that we should not deny such memories or experiences because they are true moments of love, friendship, gratitude and inspiration.

At the same time, I couldn't help but feel the same way about wanting to hear their voices again.  It is a deafening silence especially when the loss is recent.  In the Jewish tradition, we remember our loved ones on the anniversary of their death (Yahrzeit).  What is especially beautiful about this tradition is that you always do it in the presence of others in the Temple.  It is at that moment that you evoke a collective memory of your loved one and provide a shared memory of a life within your congregation.  It is as if you are bringing them back to life again.  Sometimes, if I am thinking of someone in particular, I can hear them again.  Not audibly.  Deep in my soul.

Attending Temple services is not the place I usually hear them.  Although it does happen often.  Instead, it is typically during the very early morning hours when I am out on the road getting in my training miles before sunrise.  If you don't run early in the morning, you are missing how beautifully quiet it is.  There is no sound but your own breathing and footfalls.  It is at this time that memories of friends and loved ones flood back into my mind.  I am never sure who might come to mind because it is different every day.  I just know that they will be with me as I run and it makes me happy to think about the good times we shared.  Isn't that a wonderful thing?  I am sharing my run with those I loved.

So this year as  I refrained from eating or drinking for the 25 hours of Yom Kippur, I concentrated not only on prayer but reflection.  During the Yizkor services, I said the names of all of my relatives, friends, and parents of friends who are no longer with us physically.   I thought about how my next few runs would be filled with memories of those I can no longer audibly hear.  But I will hear them.  I will hear them in the silence of the morning as the sun slowly rises and its beauty fills my sight.  They will brighten my day as they are all still living in my heart.

My hope is that when we reached the end of Yom Kippur and that has G-D closed the Books of Judgment that He inscribed my name in the Book of Life for Good.  I wish all of my Jewish friends and relatives a Happy New Year, I pray that this year we will finally see peace, shalom, and salem for all of the world.

Sept. 14 – 5.10 miles (47:25, 9:18 pace)
Sept. 15 – 7.20 miles (1:07:14, 9:36 pace)
Sept. 17 – 4.10 miles (42:12, 10:18 pace) - Orlando, FL
Sept. 18 – 3.20 miles (28:36, 8:56 pace) - Ft. Worth, TX
Sept. 20 – 3.10 miles (34:28, 11:06 pace) - Theta 5K
Sept. 21 – 6.20 miles (1:01:20, 9:54 pace)
Sept. 22 – 6.20 miles (57:10, 9:13 pace)
Sept. 24 – 6.20 miles (58:44, 9:28 pace)
Sept. 25 – 5.20 miles (49:58, 9:37 pace)
Sept. 26 – 5.40 miles (1:01:50, 11:19 pace) - Trail Run
Sept. 27 – 8.10 miles (1:17:50, 9:37 pace)

Total Miles:  60.0 miles
2015 Total Miles:  1,454.9 miles

Time Flies

I cannot believe that it has been over a month since I last posted anything here.  Time just seems to get away from me.  I have been extremely busy at work and travelling a lot.  Even with all the stresses at work, I have been training hard for the Ragnar McDowell Mountain Trail Relay.  And, frankly, I have just been enjoying the last part of the summer here in Scottsdale.  Did time just get away from me?  Or am I just living life in such a way that I haven't noticed the passage of time?  The truth is I try not to focus on the passage of time and try to live in the moment.

As I get older I have noticed that I pay more attention to time.  I am constantly gauging my life by it.  Yet even with more focus, it still seems to be getting away from me.  Time seems to go much faster each year.  Living in the moment is difficult when you let the passage of time bother you.  It sometimes feels like that race clock on the side of the road ticking away/  But instead of adding time, it is counting down the time I have left.  The older I get the faster it seems to run.  If I am not careful, I suddenly wake up and it is September and I don't remember where August went.

When this happens, it seems that my life is spinning out of my control.  There is so much happening at work and home that I can't seem to control my time.  The only way that I can take hold of time and slow it down is to  find ways to force stillness in my life each day.  That is what running has become for me now.  It is a time for me to pause and let go of the stress in my life.  It is that time during my day where I try to simply embrace the now.  It gives me time to refocus my energy into thinking about what is truly important in life.

Running allows me to clear my mind of all the clutter.  It gives me a chance to take control of my thinking and ultimately grant me calmness and clarity.  As I run, I push all of the distressing thoughts out of my mind.  I am able to think more about how I can be a better father and husband and friend.  When I am able to get to this Zen like state, I start to feel a sense of relief and freedom.  With each step, I create more and more distance from the negative and my thoughts become more organized and manageable.  I feel rejuvenated when I finish my run.

I guess what it all comes down to is that I cannot stop the passage of time.  It will get away from me on occasion.  What I need to do is recognize that when my life is starting to get out of control to make the changes necessary to make it more manageable.  No matter what, deep down I know there are many things that drive me.  Work, hobbies, passions and most importantly people I want to spend more time with are what motivates me each day.  Thinking about what matters most to me is not just a lofty pursuit.  It is critical to achieving a happy life.

What to do then.  The best thing is go out for a run. These breaks from the stresses in my life will bring insight and understanding. Over time, these insights can help me to transform my life and take control.  The transformation I am striving for is a life that is simpler, less stressful, and more fulfilling.  Isn't that what we all should be looking for?

Aug. 3 – 6.10 miles (55:54, 9:10 pace)
Aug. 4 – 6.20 miles (57:03, 9:12 pace)
Aug. 6 – 6.20 miles (58:33, 9:27 pace)
Aug. 7 – 6.20 miles (55:51, 9:09 pace)
Aug. 8 – 5.10 miles (1:15:21, 9:18 pace)
Aug. 9 – 5.20 miles (1:11:05, 13:41 pace) - Trail Run
Aug. 10 – 5.10 miles (49:19, 9:41 pace)
Aug. 11 – 6.20 miles (57:03, 9:12 pace)
Aug. 13 – 6.20 miles (58:36, 9:27 pace)
Aug. 14 – 5.10 miles (53:31, 10:30 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug. 15 – 8.10 miles (01:16:11, 9:24 pace)
Aug. 16 – 3.20 miles (34:59, 10:56 pace) - Trail Run
Aug. 17 – 6.20 miles (57:03, 9:12 pace)
Aug. 18 – 5.10 miles (45:46, 8:58 pace)
Aug. 20 – 6.20 miles (58:41, 9:28 pace)
Aug. 21 – 5.20 miles (54:35, 10:30 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug. 22 – 8.10 miles (1:16:28, 9:26 pace)
Aug. 23 – 5.20 miles (57:56, 11:08 pace) - Trail Run
Aug. 24 – 6.10 miles (1:00:19, 9:53 pace)
Aug. 25 – 6.20 miles (57:12, 9:14 pace)
Aug. 27 – 6.20 miles (58:41, 9:28 pace)
Aug. 28 – 5.20 miles (58:08, 11:11 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug. 29 – 9.10 miles (1:30:05, 9:54 pace)
Aug. 30 – 6.20 miles (1:08:24, 11:02 pace) - Trail Run
Sept. 3 – 6.20 miles (58:25, 9:25 pace)
Sept. 4 – 6.10 miles (1:03:21, 10:23 pace) - Hill Repeats
Sept. 5 – 9.20 miles (1:27:51, 9:33 pace)
Sept. 6 – 6.10 miles (1:15:02, 12:18 pace) - Trail Run
Sept. 7 – 6.20 miles (57:09, 9:13 pace)
Sept. 9 – 3.10 miles (29:03, 9:22 pace)
Sept. 10 – 3.10 miles (28:49, 9:18 pace)
Sept. 12 – 9.10 miles (1:27:41, 9:38 pace)
Sept. 13 – 7.10 miles (1:10:44, 9:50 pace)

Total Miles:  198.1 miles
2015 Total Miles:  1,394.9 miles

I am a Beginner Trail Runner

On November 6 & 7 I will be participating in my first trail run relay event.  I along with 7 other runner friends will be taking part in the Ragnar Trail McDowell Mountain here in Phoenix.  Much like the adventure relays I have run in the past, this race is an overnight desert trail running adventure which will be run in the McDowell Mountain Range, just northeast of Scottsdale in the McDowell Mountain Regional Park.

The park has over 50 miles of diverse trails that we will be running on.  The area supplies runners with majestic mountain views and desert flora and fauna.   The relay race site says that we will be experiencing "swooping descents, rocky climbs, and smooth star-lit nights."   We might even have a chance to run into the Javelina hog while running or be serenaded by howling coyotes.  They say that the sunrise we will experience during our run is not to be rivaled anywhere.  Best of all, since the race is being run in the "winter", we will enjoy cool desert air at night followed by warm, clear sunny skies during the day.  What more could we ask for?

It sounds great.  However, I have only run a few miles on trails out here in Scottsdale.  The only other trail run I have experienced was the 2012 Busa Bushwack Trail Race back in Massachusetts (see blog entry dated Nov. 6, 2012).  I know I can handle the mileage of this race as each runner only has to run 15.5 miles total.  The part I am not certain of is how easy that mileage will be on a trail.  What I have heard is that trail running is a whole different running experience especially when the trails are rocky like here in Arizona.  Knowing this, I know that the best thing I can do is train hard for this race and in the conditions that I will encounter out there.

I have wanted to run a trail race again because I want to be considered a bad ass runner.  I want to run like a wild man through the desert mountains so that I can nurture my inner soul.  They say that trail running satisfies that primal urge a running man needs.  The urge to move through nature unbridled is something I want to experience. It will bring me back to my ancestors hunter/gatherer days so many centuries past.  I want to lock back into that part of my nature and find that primal urge to run like they did back in the prehistoric days.

I know that the transition from road to trail isn’t easy.  I have done some research and found some common advice for the beginner.  First and foremost... a trail runner needs to slow down.  A road runner cannot assume that his times and pace on the road will have any bearing on what happens on the trail.  Trail running means running with a different form and focus.  Whenever I jump onto a trail (even for a short distance), I find that my pace immediately slows down due to the rocky uneven nature of the desert trails.  Trail runners advise the beginner to adjust his speed to what feels comfortable and appropriate for the trail conditions.  They say that even at a slower speed, the trail runner is using equal to or more energy than when they are running on the road.  Focus is key.  This ensures that you will not trip over an unseen hazard and cause injury that will impede your ability to finish the race.

The second piece of advice is to walk when necessary.  As a road runner, this ideas seems to be a sacrilege.   Turns out that walking during a trail run is perfectly acceptable if not advisable.  Trails often include much steeper sections than any road (even Heartbreak Hill).  Therefore it is more efficient to walk up the steep hills to conserve energy and to make up the time on the way down.  So I will grab my knees and power hike up the hills in the McDowell Mountains.

The final piece of advice ties back to the need to be focused when running on a trail.  Obviously a trail is much different terrain than the pavement.  Trail running requires you to pick up your feet more than you would on the road.  According to what I have read, most bruises, cuts, wounds and twisted ankles all come from not lifting your feet properly.  I try to consciously lift my feet when I run on the trails near my house.  When I don't, the next thing I know I am stretched out on the trail and bleeding somewhere on my lower extremities.  They also advise runners to continuously scan the ground a few yards ahead of you while.  This will allow you to do whatever is necessary to clear any obstacles you may encounter.  The few times I have fallen are always associated with my lack of attention where I quit lifting my feet high enough to avoid the obstacle.   Most falls happen due to simple complacency.

I am so happy to find that so many trail runners agree on the things a road runner needs to think about when switching over to trails.  What I am hoping for in this relay is to have the chance to focus on the experience and not my pace.  I am going to have a chance to run through some beautiful sections of the McDowell Mountains.  My team and I will have a chance to escape from our daily routine in order to experience nature in a way only a runner can.  When it is all over and our last runner comes in and we cross the finish line as a team, we will know that we have accomplished something completely different.  And then we will all know deep down inside that we are truly bad ass runners!

July 20 – 6.20 miles (56:06, 9:03 pace)
July 21 – 6.20 miles (56:57, 9:11 pace)
July 23 – 6.20 miles (58:39, 9:23 pace)
July 24 – 6.10 miles (54:27, 8:55 pace)
July 25 – 7.10 miles (1:24:28, 11:54 pace) - Trail Run
July 26 – 6.50 miles (1:02:47, 9:40 pace)
July 27 – 4.10 miles (36:14, 8:50 pace)
July 28 – 4.20 miles (45:00, 10:43 pace)
July 29 – 5.00 miles (50:00, 10:00 pace)
July 30 – 6.20 miles (58:37, 9:27 pace)
Aug. 1 – 8.10 miles (1:17:07, 9:24 pace)
Aug. 2 – 3.60 miles (49:15, 13:39 pace)

Total Miles:  69.5 miles
2015 Total Miles:  1,196.8 miles